Armed Career Criminal to Federal Prison for Meth and Firearm Convictions

A man who distributed methamphetamine while illegally possessing firearms was sentenced November 18, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.

Melvin Cloud, Jr. 44, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on June 17, 2021, to one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Cloud, Jr. had previously been convicted of three prior drug trafficking offenses which designated him an armed career criminal.

At the hearings, evidence showed that on four separate occasions in 2020 in Sioux City, Iowa, Cloud, Jr. distributed a total of over 82 grams of methamphetamine.  On February 25, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Cloud, Jr.’s residence and seized four guns, including a 12-gauge shotgun, .357 revolver, .45 caliber ACP, and a stolen .40 caliber pistol. As a drug user and felon, Cloud, Jr. was prohibited from possessing guns. 

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Cloud, Jr. was sentenced to 141 months’ imprisonment and must serve a 4-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. Cloud, Jr. remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood 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 21-4018. 

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