Iowa Traffic Stop Leads to Seizure of Meth from Nebraska Man

A Nebraska man who planned to distribute methamphetamine, pled guilty January 24, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City.

Calvin Wright, 33, from Creighton, Nebraska, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Wright was previously convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in 2016 in Nebraska.

At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on July 5, 2023, in Sioux City, Iowa, law enforcement stopped a vehicle in which Wright was a passenger.  Due to suspicious activity, a K-9 was deployed and indicated to the presence of a controlled substance in the vehicle.  Once law enforcement began to search the vehicle, Wright admitted everything in the car was his.  In a backpack which had been between Wright’s legs in the vehicle, law enforcement found approximately 95 grams of pure methamphetamine, scales, and drug paraphernalia.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Wright remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Wright faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by 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 23-4052.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.