Violent Sioux City Drug Conspiracy Dismantled and Members Sent to Federal Prison

Raymond Nieman, age 39, Lesandro Jose Alvizo-Allison, age 21, Kelly Davis, age 34, and Erwin Scott, age 25, all from Sioux City, Iowa, received prison terms, ranging from over nine years to 16 years for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, a conspiracy to commit robbery and extortion, a robbery, a conspiracy to commit arson, and possession, use, and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.          

Raymond Nieman, Kelly Davis, and Erwin Scott were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of conspiracy to commit arson.  Lesandro Jose Alvizo-Allison was convicted of one count each of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, conspiracy to commit robbery and extortion, robbery, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, conspiracy to commit arson, and possession of a firearm by a felon.  Alvizo-Allison was previously convicted of Forgery, in Iowa, in 2019.  

Evidence presented by the United States revealed from on or about March 18, 2018, until August 8, 2019, Raymond Nieman distributed methamphetamine from his Sioux City home and other places.  On or about August 7, 2019, Nieman attempted to purchase $600.00 worth of methamphetamine from a source of supply in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa.  During that transaction, Nieman was provided what he concluded was bad dope.  Nieman returned to his home and recruited Kelly Davis, Erwin Scott, and Lesandro Alvizo-Allison to assist him in his plan to seek redress against the suspected Sergeant Bluff source of supply.  The three agreed to participate in Nieman’s plan which included robbing the source of supply of his drugs and money, and burning down the home of the source of supply if necessary to get what they wanted.   The four men, along with Jennifer Crook, traveled, in Nieman’s van, to Sam’s Mini Mart, where Nieman and Davis filled a gas can with gasoline.  The group then drove to the supposed home of the source of supply.  As they drove, the group discussed burning down the alleged source of supply’s home if he did not give them money or drugs.  All the men knew there were loaded guns in the van.  Once at the scene, Nieman and Davis each armed themselves with loaded .22 rifles.  Scott donned a wolf mask and picked up a baseball bat.  All four men then walked to the supposed home of the source.  Crook stayed in the van.

Nieman fired shots, including at least one at the house, shouted demands for money, and made threats of violence, including a threat to burn down the house if they did not get money or drugs.  The alleged source of supply and others, who had been in front of the house, retreated inside, and after a brief standoff, Nieman, Davis, Scott, Alvizo-Allison and Crook fled the scene in Nieman’s van.

Davis was sentenced on August 21, 2020, Scott was sentenced on October 9, 2020, Alvizo-Allison was sentenced on December 3, 2020, and Nieman was sentenced on March 11, 2021, in United States District Court in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Davis was sentenced to 180 month’s imprisonment, Scott was sentenced to 132 months’ imprisonment, Alvizo-Allison was sentenced to 117 months’ imprisonment, and Nieman was sentenced to 192 months’ imprisonment.  Davis, Scott, Alvizo-Allison, and Nieman each must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Jennifer Crook, was sentenced to 10 years in State prison after pleading guilty in Woodbury County District Court to charges of intimidation with a dangerous weapon, going armed with intent, assault while participating in a felony, conspiracy, and aggravated assault.

Alvizo-Allison, Scott, Davis and Nieman are each being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.       

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from its Project Guardian partners.  For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/dl?inline.

The case was investigated by the United States (1) Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; (2) the Sergeant Bluff Police Department; (3) the Sioux City Police Department, (4) the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; (5) the Woodbury County Sherriff’s Office; and (6) the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.          

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 19-4082.

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