North Dakota Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Illegal Drugs

A man, who admitted he was delivering drugs for a drug cartel was sentenced on December 6, 2023, to 14 years in federal prison.

Ethan Longie, 20 from Bismarck, North Dakota received the prison term after an October 5, 2022, guilty plea to Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.

In a plea agreement, Longie admitted on February 4, 2022, he was stopped after a short pursuit in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa and was found in possession of more than 350 grams of actual methamphetamine, fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and other narcotics.  Longie further admitted he was delivering drugs for the “Cartel” and that he had been delivering methamphetamine to various areas.  While in custody pending his federal sentencing, Longie continued to distribute drugs and threatened to stab another inmate to keep him from informing on Longie.  

Longie was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Longie was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment of $100.  He must also serve a 5 -year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Longie 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 Jack Lammers and investigated by Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, Mason City Police, the North Central Iowa Drug Task Force, and the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement. 

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

The case file number is 22-CR-3014-LTS-KEM.

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