Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Conspiracy

A man who conspired to, and distributed, methamphetamine pled guilty June 6, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City.

Phillip Pringle, 53, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and aiding and abetting another in the distribution of methamphetamine.

At the plea hearing, Pringle admitted that between January 2015 and December 2019, he and others distributed several pounds of methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge area.  In October 2019 and two occasions in 2020, Pringle was the source of methamphetamine for an individual selling methamphetamine to an undercover officer.  On October 19, 2021, Pringle failed to appear for a pre-trial release revocation hearing and an arrest warrant for him was issued.  On February 14, 2023, Pringle was arrested by the United States Marshals Service.  From about October 19, 2021, to about February 14, 2023, Pringle was a federal fugitive.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Pringle remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Pringle 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 four years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, and 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 20-3022.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.