A man who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Waterloo pled guilty February 18, 2010, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

James Schaefer, 37, from Waterloo, Iowa, was convicted of conspiring with others to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, conspiring to launder money, and being a felon in possession of firearms.

At the plea hearing, Schaefer admitted he was involved in a conspiracy to distribute more than 30 pounds of methamphetamine and the laundering of over $200,000. Schaefer also admitted he was a felon on June 6, 2009, when officers searched his residence and seized multiple firearms.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Schaefer was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Schaefer faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $4,000,000 fine, $300 in special assessments, and up to life on supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and was investigated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Tri-County Drug Task Force, Cedar Rapids DEA Task Force, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Internal Revenue Service, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Tri-County Drug Task Force is composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Bremer County Sheriff’s Office, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, LaPorte City Police Department, Evansdale Police Department, Hudson Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Cedar Rapids Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consists of the DEA; Linn County Sheriff's Office; Cedar Rapids Police Department; Marion Police Department; Iowa City Police Department; Clinton Police Department; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services; and Iowa National Guard.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 10-2001.

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