Sioux City Felon Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

Jamiah Burton, age 30, from Sioux City, was sentenced March 21, 2025, to five years in federal prison, after an August 8, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.

Evidence in the case revealed on January 19, 2024, Burton entered a Sioux City, Iowa bar with a female companion.  The couple argued, the female left, and Burton turned his attention to the sole remaining person in the bar: the female bartender.  For the next hour and half or so, Burton who had been drinking, refused to leave, repeatedly came behind the bar, simulated a sex act on his victim, manhandled her, at various points become emotional, brandished a loaded handgun -- claiming he had a bullet for his victim and one for himself -- and stole a bottle of alcohol all before being tricked out of the bar by his victim’s promise to leave with him.  A video of the event shows the victim’s attempts to navigate an impossible situation: she laughs and drinks and plays along with Burton all while secretly texting for help and trying to escape.  The moment she tricks him out of the bar, she locked the doors, hid in the bathroom, and called 911. 

Approximately 16 minutes after Burton left the bar, law enforcement in South Sioux City, Nebraska located the vehicle he was using which was high centered and stranded in the snow.  Law enforcement located several open containers and a bottle of tequila (consistent with the one he stole from the bar) in the vehicle. 

Burton has a serious criminal history.  Among numerous convictions, Burton  has twice committed violent home invasions, and driven drunk while attempting to elude police.

Burton was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 60 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Burton is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was investigated by the South Sioux City, Nebraska and the Sioux City, Iowa Police Departments and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.  

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

The case file number is 24-4015.

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