Marion Man Sentenced to Over a Decade in Federal Prison for Distributing Ice Methamphetamine

A Marion, Iowa, man who was responsible for the distribution of over 1.5 kilograms of ice methamphetamine was sentenced on August 13, 2025, to over ten years in federal prison. 

Robert Owen Bell, age 48, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 11, 2025, guilty plea to a conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. 

Throughout 2023, Bell and another individual conspired to distribute ice methamphetamine in Cedar Rapids and Marion.  During an investigation, law enforcement officers utilized a confidential source to conduct two controlled purchases of ice methamphetamine from Bell for a total of over 100 grams of ice methamphetamine.  On November 14, 2023, officers observed Bell drive to and from his co-conspirator’s residence and officers subsequently initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle driven by Bell.  Officers searched the vehicle and seized approximately 65.64 grams of ice methamphetamine.

Bell was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Bell was sentenced to 130 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jared Manternach and investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.  

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

The case file number is 24-CR-60.

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