A Sioux City man was sentenced August 26, 2011, to three years in federal prison for his illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Phillip Lee Stenwall, age 53, of Sioux City, Iowa, received his prison term after a May 26, 2011, guilty plea to possession of a firearm and ammunition having been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Information provided by the United States at the sentencing and change of plea hearings revealed that Phillip Lee Stenwall had previously been convicted in Woodbury County, Iowa for assaulting his wife on June 12, 2005. Under federal law, this conviction prohibited Stenwall from possessing any firearms. In addition, Stenwall promised the state court he would never again possess any firearms. Despite the law, and his promise to the state court, on November 6, 2010, Stenwall walked into a former girlfriend’s condo, pointed a loaded handgun at her and another victim, and said they were all going to die that day. After a struggle, one of the victims was able to escape from the gunman and phone 911. Realizing police were on the way, Stenwall fled, leaving the firearm behind. Sioux City Police Officers eventually located Stenwall, but he refused to surrender to police, so police took him into custody by force.

Stenwall was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Donald E. O’Brien. Stenwall was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

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

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a cooperative local, state, and federal program aimed at the enhanced prosecution of gun crimes. This case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 11-4019.

 

 

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