Dubuque Drug Dealer to Serve Over 15 Years in Federal Prison

A man who sold crack cocaine out of his Dubuque residence was sentenced today to more than 15 years in federal prison. 

Desmond Williams, age 30, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 25, 2017, guilty plea to distribution of a controlled substance near a protected location.

In a plea agreement, Williams admitted selling crack cocaine from February 2016 through September 2016.  Some of the sales took place inside his home, which was located near multiple playgrounds.  At the sentencing hearing, the Court noted that Williams resided in the home with his then-girlfriend and a three-month old infant, during the time that he was selling drugs out of the home.  Williams has two prior felony drug convictions. 

Williams was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade.  He was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 6-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Williams is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Lightfoot and investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, the Dubuque Police Department, and the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office. 

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

The case file number is 16-CR-1046.

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