Allamakee County Man Charged With Federal Gun And Drug Crimes

Chad Root, 41, from Waukon, Iowa, has been charged with possessing firearms as a felon, attempting to manufacture methamphetamine, conspiring to manufacture methamphetamine, and possession of pseudoephedrine. The charges are contained in a Superseding Indictment filed on June 5, 2013 in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.

The Superseding Indictment alleges Root possessed ten different firearms, including one with an obliterated serial number, after having been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including Burglary in the Second Degree, Possession of Burglary Tools, Attempted Burglary in the Second Degree, Unauthorized Possession of Offensive Weapons, Possession of a Firearm as a Felon, and Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Deliver. The Superseding Indictment also alleges that, for a period of about one year, Root agreed and conspired with others to manufacture methamphetamine, and that Root was attempting to manufacture methamphetamine on April 29, 2013. An affidavit filed in the case alleges the firearms were located in Root’s residence during the execution of a search warrant on April 29, and that Root was located in the garage with an active “one-pot” methamphetamine lab.

If convicted, Root faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $8,000,000, $400 in special assessments, and at least 8 years and up to a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.

Root first appeared on April 30, 2013 in federal court in Cedar Rapids pursuant to a criminal complaint, and was ordered detained pending trial. Trial is currently set for September 9, 2013.

As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Lightfoot and was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Iowa State Patrol, the Decorah Police Department, the Monona Police Department, the Waukon Police Department, the Postville Police Department, and the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 13-CR-1007.