Sioux City Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Firearm

Victor Villarreal, 30, from Sioux City, was sentenced today, to more than 3 years in federal prison, after a September 16, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.

Evidence in the case revealed on May 3, 2025, Villarreal, the mother of his children, and others went out for dinner and drinks, leaving Villarreal’s minor children under the care of a 15-year old babysitter.  He became intoxicated, agitated, and returned home.  When the mother of the children attempted to stop Villarreal from driving the children away while he was intoxicated, he became violent and pulled a gun.  The babysitter called 911 for help.  In the early morning hours of May 4, 2025, law enforcement responded to the report of an angry, intoxicated, man waving a firearm in the air and threatening others, including minors.  Villarreal fled the scene in another person’s car prior to officers’ arrival.  Law enforcement learned he was a felon and also subject to an active no contact order both of which precluded his lawful possession of a firearm.  Officers found Villarreal, attempted to stop him, but he fled leading officers on a pursuit.  Villarreal drove through residential neighborhoods in Sioux City at a high rate of speed, eventually hitting a wooden fence where he exited the vehicle and was taken into custody.  

Villarreal was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 37 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.

Villarreal 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 Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This case 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 25-4044.

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