Anthon, Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy Charges

Brett Sauser, 38, from Anthon, Iowa, pled guilty February 10, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.  Sauser was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within a protected location.  Sauser resided within 1000 feet of Memorial Park and Anthon Elementary School in Anthon, Iowa.

At the plea hearing, Sauser admitted that from January 2019 through August 2022, he participated in the distribution of at least 350 grams of methamphetamine and possessed more than 20 grams each of cocaine; fentanyl; ketamine; and MDMA.  Sauser obtained the controlled substances through the dark web and would receive the drugs through the U.S. Postal Service.  In August of 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Sauser’s residence after a covert delivery of a package containing ¼ pound of methamphetamine.  The evidence seized included 3 separate baggies of methamphetamine, approximately 3.5 grams each, plus small amounts of MDMA, heroin, ketamine, LSD, marijuana (including a nearly full-sized marijuana plant), three bags of mushroom roots (for manufacture of psilocybin mushrooms) and various drug use and distribution paraphernalia. 

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Sauser remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  On the conspiracy conviction, Sauser faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.  On the possession with intent conviction, Sauser faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 80 years’ imprisonment, a $10,000,00 fine, and at least eight years of supervised release.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. 

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

The case file number is 22-4065. 

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