Robert Bena, age 46, from Springville, Iowa, has been charged with one count of possession of firearms by a person subject to a domestic abuse no-contact order. The charge is contained in an Indictment filed February 2, 2010, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.

The Indictment alleges that, on or about January 27, 2010, Bena possessed 14 firearms when he was subject to a court order restraining him from harassing, stalking, or threatening his wife.

Under federal law, it is illegal for a person subject to a domestic abuse no contact order to possess a firearm or ammunition. There is no such prohibition under Iowa law.

If convicted, Bena faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

Bena was arrested on February 5, 2010, and was held until a hearing today in federal court in Cedar Rapids. He was released on conditions he reside in a halfway house, receive substance abuse treatment, and have no contact with his wife. Bena’s trial is set for April 5, 2010.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bob Teig as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a cooperative local, state, and federal program aimed at the enhanced prosecution of gun crimes. The case was investigated by the Linn County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 10-07.

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