Alden Man Who Illegally Possessed a Firearm Pled Guilty in Federal Court

Seth Peterson, 30, from Alden, Iowa, pled guilty on August 4, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City, to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.  Peterson was previously convicted of Aggravated Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Aggravated Domestic Abuse Assault with the Intent or Display a Weapon, and felony Extortion.

At the plea hearing, Peterson admitted he possessed a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun with an obliterated serial number.  Peterson further admitted to knowingly being a felon at the time he possessed the firearm, and being a user of methamphetamine and marijuana, all of which prohibit him from possessing a firearm. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Peterson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Peterson faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-3007. 

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