Melvin, Iowa Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Meth Offense

A man who possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced December 14, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.

Todd Gruis, 50, from Melvin, Iowa pled guilty on September 7, 2021, to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

At the hearings, evidence showed that in early 2021 Gruis and a Minnesota man purchased methamphetamine via the “dark web” on multiple occasions.  The methamphetamine was purchased by the Minnesota man who would have the packages sent to Gruis’ home.  Upon Gruis receiving the packages, the two would coordinate to split the methamphetamine in half. 

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Gruis will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until he can be transported to a federal prison.  Gruis was sentenced to 31 months’ imprisonment and must serve a 2 year term of supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by United States Postal Inspection Service, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. 

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

The case file number is 21-4044.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.