Sioux City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Kidnapping and Possessing Ammunition as a Felon and Drug User

Bobby Rhoden, age 50, from Sioux City, was sentenced today, to 31 years in federal prison, after a 5-day jury trial in April 2024, finding him guilty of one count of kidnapping and one count of possession of ammunition by a felon and drug user.

Evidence at trial and sentencing showed the kidnapping began with defendant manipulating the victim – including by threatening her daughter – out of a domestic abuse shelter and into his car.  Over the next 36 hours, while armed with a knife and a handgun, Rhoden took his victim’s glasses, brutalized her, and drove her to at least two locations where he terrorized others as well (including a mother and small children).  Ultimately, the victim ran out of the garage — zigzagging for her life — as defendant pursued her and fired his gun. 

A subsequent investigation of the kidnapping revealed live ammunition and a spent casing in the garage where Rhoden lived and which was one of the locations where he held his victim.  Additionally, it came to light that leading up to the kidnapping, Rhoden had put a gun to his victim’s head and pulled the trigger, isolated her by taking or breaking her phone, and made recordings, of a sexual nature, of her, without her consent.  Also, the evidence showed that during the investigation, Rhoden took steps to influence his victim and, also, his estranged wife by asking them to claim ownership of the firearm, and by hiding the firearm

Rhoden has a long criminal history.  His past felony convictions include two counts of forgery in Scott County, Iowa, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in Scott County, Iowa and conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa.  Upon leaving prison Rhoden rearmed and boasted that he had done so and was standing by to blow off someone’s kneecap if he needed to do so. 

Rhoden was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 372 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 5-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.

Rhoden 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, the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol Tabaco Firearms and Explosives, the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. The 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 22-4073.

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