An Arkansas man who conspired to distribute crack cocaine in Iowa was sentenced April 8, 2010, to 10 years in federal prison.

Johnnie Cannon, 24, from Blytheville, Arkansas, received the prison term after October 21, 2009, guilty pleas to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. Cannon was previously convicted on April 30, 2007, of manufacture/delivery of crack cocaine in Mississippi County Circuit Court, Arkansas.

At the plea hearing, Cannon admitted he was involved in a conspiracy to distribute over 20 grams of crack cocaine in Sioux City, Iowa, during July 2007. On July 17, 2007, in Sioux City, over 9 grams of crack cocaine and $2,933 cash were found in Cannon’s possession. The cash was seized from Cannon’s pocket upon his arrest and, when he was placed in the rear seat of a patrol car, Cannon took the crack cocaine hidden in his pocket and kicked it underneath the seat of the patrol car where officers found it.

Cannon was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Donald E. O’Brien. Cannon was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $200 was imposed. He must also serve an eight-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Cannon is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by 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; United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement; 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; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 07-4055.

Return to Top