Monona County Man off to Federal Prison for Meth Conspiracy

A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced May 14, 2019, to ten years in federal prison.

Gary Gibbs, 48, from Soldier, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 13, 2018, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.  Gibbs was previously convicted of four felony drug offenses in Nebraska.

At the plea hearing, Gibbs admitted that from January 2017 through February 2018, he and others were involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.  Gibbs further admitted to obtaining methamphetamine from sources in Omaha, Nebraska to sell in the Monona County area.  On November 23, 2017, a Monona County Sheriff’s deputy traffic stopped Gibbs and found Gibbs with about ½ ounce of methamphetamine.  The deputy also witnessed Gibbs throw a bag out the passenger door window.  Deputies returned to the area where Gibbs had thrown out the bag and located about 3 ounces of methamphetamine, 1 ounce of marijuana, and other indicia of drug distribution in the bag.  On June 12, 2018, when arrested on the federal charges in this case, Gibbs was found to be in possession of about ¼ ounce of methamphetamine, and approximately $1,400. 

Gibbs was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Gibbs was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Gibbs is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Monona County Sheriff’s Office, 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 18-4047.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.