Omaha Man Sentenced to 72 Months in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – An Omaha man was sentenced on August 6, 2025, to 72 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. 

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Rafael Rashad Adams, 41, in September of 2024, was found by Council Bluffs’ police officers passed out in the driver’s seat of a vehicle with front-end damage near South Expressway and 30th Avenue in Council Bluffs. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 31.5 grams of marijuana, scales, drug packaging material, and a stolen, loaded nine-millimeter pistol and a loaded 15-round magazine. Adams’ criminal history includes convictions for drug possession and distribution, unlawful possession of a firearm, and driving under the influence.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Adams 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 Council Bluffs Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

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.