Iowa City Man Sentenced to Prison for Firearm Offense

DAVENPORT, Iowa — On December 23, 2020, United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Charls Peter Niphong, age 20, of Iowa City, to 64 months in prison for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Following his prison term, Niphong was ordered to serve three years of supervised release, as well as pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

The investigation of Niphong began in October 2019 when law enforcement officials were investigating a string of burglaries in and around Iowa City residences and parked vehicles. Niphong was identified as a suspect. Law enforcement learned that Niphong’s phone usage placed him in the area of the burglaries during the time frame where they occurred. Surveillance footage from local businesses further corroborated Niphong’s location, and showed Niphong using stolen credit cards to make purchases. A search warrant conducted on Niphong’s residence revealed a firearm that had been reported as stolen during one of the burglaries, along with items of stolen property taken during the burglaries. Officers also found two additional guns, including one stolen during one of the burglaries, while executing a search warrant at an additional residence. Niphong had sold those two guns to a person living at the residence. Niphong has an extensive criminal history in Iowa. As a result of being a felon, Niphong is prohibited from possessing firearms.

This matter was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department (ICPD). This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.