Fort Dodge Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Firearm

A man who illegally possessed a gun was sentenced January 25, 2021, to more than two years in federal prison, including credit for 27 days previously served on a related State of Iowa assault conviction.

Justice Terry, 26, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 18, 2020, guilty plea to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

Evidence at the hearings showed that as of September 30, 2019, Terry was subject to a court order issued by the Iowa District Court for Wright County on April 29, 2019, restraining him from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner, that included a finding that Terry was a credible threat to the physical safety of the intimate partner.  Also, as of September 30, 2019, Terry was an unlawful user of marijuana and/or methamphetamine.  On September 30, 2019, Terry was stopped by law enforcement while driving. During the traffic stop, Terry was found in possession (in the vehicle, under the driver’s seat) of a Taurus .357 magnum revolver, loaded with 3 rounds, plus two small baggies of meth and one small baggie of marijuana and various drug user paraphernalia.  Terry was stopped by law enforcement because of reports he had assaulted his girlfriend (a passenger in the vehicle) with a handgun. Terry subsequently pled guilty and was sentenced in the State of Iowa for the assault upon his girlfriend.           

Terry was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Terry was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Terry is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.  For more information about Project Guardian, please see /media/1122011/download?inline.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Dodge Police Department, and 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 20-3006. 

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