Audubon County Men Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Manufacture Marijuana
DES MOINES, IA - On June 6, 2012, Paul Joseph Irlmeier, age 44, of rural Audubon County, Iowa, pled guilty to conspiracy to manufacture at least 100 marijuana plants announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Irlmeier’s co-defendant Randy Frank Irlmeier, age 62, also of rural Audubon County pled guilty to the same charges on May 30, 2012. Based upon their pleas of guilty, the Irlmeiers face a mandatory minimum of 5 years imprisonment up to a maximum of 40 years imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $2,000,000, at least 4 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment. In addition, Paul Irlmeier has agreed to forfeit $104,503. The forfeiture allegations against Randy Irlmeier will be resolved at a later hearing. Both defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on September 28, 2012, before Chief District Court Judge James E. Gritzner in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
As part of their guilty pleas, the Irlmeiers admitted to conspiring to grow, harvest and distribute marijuana at their respective rural Audubon County residences between approximately 2005 and October 27, 2010. On October 27, 2010, law enforcement located evidence of a sizable marijuana growing operation, including a large quantity of mature marijuana plants at the residence of Randy Irlmeier in Audubon County. Both defendants admitted responsibility for at least 100 marijuana plants during the conspiracy.
The investigation was conducted by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Audubon County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
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