Cerro Gordo County Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

Dustin Burkhardt, 36, from Rockwell, Iowa, was convicted of possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine June 5, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City. 

At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on September 29, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Burkhardt.  Law enforcement observed an open container in the vehicle and conducted a probable cause search.  Law enforcement located and seized a glass pipe in the center console and a backpack from the front passenger footwell.  Inside of the backpack was another pouch which contained four zip-top baggies containing 137.12 grams of pure methamphetamine.  Burkhardt admitted that all of the methamphetamine seized belonged to him and he intended to distribute some or all of the methamphetamine to another person or persons.   

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Burkhardt remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Burkhardt 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.

The case was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, and Iowa DCI Laboratory and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.  

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

The case file number is 25-3015.  Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.