Second Illinois Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Over 2 Pounds of Heroin and Fentanyl

A man who possessed 975.7 grams of heroin and fentanyl was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison.

Donald R. Owens, age 44, from Markham, Illinois, received the prison term after a March 15, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and aiding and abetting the same.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Owens was driving a car that the Iowa State Patrol stopped for speeding.  Mathew J. Moreno was a passenger in the vehicle.  Owens fled from officers, and a high-speed chase followed before Owens ultimately crashed the vehicle.  During the chase, someone threw a vacuum‑sealed package out of the car which contained 975.7 grams of heroin and fentanyl.  Officers also found over $17,000 in cash in Moreno’s and Owens’s possession.

Owens was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Owens was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve an 8-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

On July 10, 2023, Moreno was sentenced to 87 month’s imprisonment.  Moreno must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  

Owens 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 Jason Norwood and Special Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Iowa State Patrol, the Iowa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. 

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

The case file number is 22-CR-32.

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