Press Release
Waterloo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a Gun and Ammunition
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Iowa
Convicted Felon Possessed a Loaded Handgun
A Waterloo man was sentenced on May 9, 2018, to serve 43 months in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a gun and ammunition.
Wayne J. Jones, II, age 38, received the prison term after an October 15, 2017, guilty plea to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and unlawful drug user.
Evidence presented at sentencing showed that Jones possessed multiple firearms in his Waterloo apartment and shot those firearms at an outdoor shooting range. On April 12, 2017, FBI agents executed a federal search warrant at Jones’s apartment. On that same date, Jones’s brother, Joseph Jones, was charged in the Northern District of Illinois with providing material support to ISIS. Those charges are still pending.
The evidence at sentencing showed that at the time the search warrant was executed, Wayne Jones admitted he was a daily user of marijuana. FBI agents seized a loaded handgun, ammunition, and other items from his apartment. A forensic examination of Jones’s phone discovered text messages and photos relating to drug activity and photos of firearms, as well as an image of an ISIS flag Jones claimed his brother sent him. Other investigation showed Jones sought to have his adult son purchase a firearm for him at a Waterloo sporting goods store in November 2016. Jones was arrested at the time of the search on an outstanding arrest warrant in Wisconsin issued after Jones violated terms of probation imposed on prior battery and disorderly conduct convictions there. While Jones was incarcerated in Wisconsin, he spoke to family members in calls recorded by the jail.
In one call, Jones claimed he and his brother were of “like mind” but have different approaches, stating: “I’m a little wiser, like okay, I’ll kill ‘ya, like you and your whole f****** household, but I’m not gonna be all you know unwise about it. I’m going to take the appropriate approach and make sure my ass is covered.”
Jones was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Jones was sentenced to 43 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.
In imposing sentence, Judge Reade noted Jones had several prior criminal convictions that had not been taken into account by the sentencing guidelines, including convictions for possession with intent to distribute marijuana, resisting a peace officer, assault, forgery, and interference with official acts. The court stated Jones’s prior criminal conduct showed a disrespect for the law and a history of violence that was particularly troubling given his fascination with guns. The court found Jones was an “extremely high risk to recidivate.”
Jones 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 Richard L. Murphy and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-02058.
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Updated May 10, 2018
Topics
Firearms Offenses
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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