Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Gun Charge

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced on April 15, 2025 to 46 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.

According to public court documents, Rafael Partida, 47, attempted to elude law enforcement while armed with a loaded pistol. On May 19, 2024, an Iowa State Patrol Trooper attempted to stop Partida on his motorcycle. Partida eventually crashed the motorcycle, fled on foot, tossed his backpack, and was apprehended. In Partida’s backpack was a loaded handgun and 23 additional rounds of ammunition.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Partida will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety—Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Iowa State Patrol.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.