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Press Release

Sac County Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Federal Prison for Meth and Firearm Convictions

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Iowa
Diaz was also held accountable for using threats and force to make another person write a false letter of confession regarding Diaz’s meth.

A man who possessed methamphetamine and illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced June 7, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City.

Edwin Diaz, 34, from Odebolt, Iowa, was convicted of two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm on February 9, 2024.  Diaz was previously convicted of felony theft, burglary, and possession of a controlled substance, which prohibit a person from possessing firearms.

At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that in the early morning hours on December 31, 2022, an Ida County Sheriff’s Deputy, stopped to check on an oddly parked vehicle, finding defendant and another in the vehicle.  The deputy seized a baggie with 45 grams of methamphetamine and another bag with 35 grams of marijuana.  Evidence further showed that days later, in the early morning hours of January 4, 2023, Diaz and his girlfriend coaxed the person with Diaz on December 31 into a vehicle.  Then Diaz forced this person to sign a note, written by Diaz, saying the methamphetamine seized from Diaz’s vehicle on December 31, was this person’s and not Diaz’s.  During the execution of a search warrant at Diaz’s residence, agents seized evidence of Diaz’s conduct in obtaining the false letter, including handcuffs and the false note. Diaz’s conduct constituted obstruction of justice. Agents also seized approximately ½ ounce of methamphetamine, a small quantity of marijuana, various pills, drug distribution paraphernalia, a Ruger .22 rifle with a loaded magazine and 27 rounds of 9mm ammunition.   

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Diaz was sentenced to 185 months’, 27 days’ imprisonment and must serve a term of four years of supervised release.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Diaz is being held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service 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 Ida County Sheriff’s Office, Sac County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa Public Safety-Division of Criminal Investigation Laboratory, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 

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

The case file number is 23-4012. 

Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

Updated June 7, 2024

Topics
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Drug Trafficking
Firearms Offenses