Estherville Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Charge

Jodeci Holmes, 21, from Estherville, Iowa, pled guilty September 21, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

At the plea hearing, Holmes admitted that on April 1, 2023, she possessed a 9mm Luger pistol in Estherville, Iowa.  She further admitted that, at the time she possessed the gun she was a marijuana user and had previously been convicted of the felony offense of possession with intent to deliver marijuana in 2022.  Being a user of controlled substances, and having a felony conviction, each prohibit an individual from possessing a firearm.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Holmes remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Holmes faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, 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 Emmet County Sheriff’s Office, Estherville Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 

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

The case file number is 23-3008.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.