IOWA CITY MAN SENTENCED IN CONNECTION WITH STEALING FROM HOUSE DURING 2008 FLOODS
DAVENPORT- On July 1, 2009, Michael Ray Garr, age 22, formerly of Iowa City, Iowa was sentenced by United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey to 200 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of stolen firearms and possession of a firearm as a felon, announced United States Attorney Matthew G. Whitaker. Garr was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay $500 in restitution and $200 to the Crime Victims Fund. Co-defendants Daniel Vieth was sentenced in May 2009 to 200 months and Benjamin Willett in June 2009 to 50 months.
During the July 2008 floods that forced mandatory evacuation of several areas of Eastern Iowa, including Coralville, Iowa, Garr, Vieth and Willett burglarized at least four homes in the Edgewater Drive area of Coralville. The defendants stole at least 25 firearms and other personal property from these residences. The break ins occurred during the time the residents were ordered out of their homes under mandatory evacuation of the area. Garr, Vieth and Willett were also involved in subsequent sales of at least three of these stolen firearms. One of these firearms was sold to an undercover officer on July 15, 2008, resulting in the subsequent arrest of Garr, Vieth and Willett. Officers recovered approximately fifteen of the stolen firearms and other items of personal property.
This case was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Iowa. This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Coralville Police Department, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa City Police Department.