15 Dec 2015

Former Legislative Clerk Pleads Guilty to White Powder Hoax on Floor of Iowa Legislature

By Kevin E. VanderSchel
DES MOINES, IA - On December 14, 2015, Michael Dekota McRae, 28, appeared before the Honorable John A. Jarvey and pled guilty to conveying false information concerning a biological weapon, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel.

According to the plea agreement, McRae, a former legislative clerk to Iowa State Representative Ako Abdul-Samad, admitted to writing a threatening letter addressed to
Representative Abdul-Samad. The letter contained racial slurs and threats to kill both McRae and Representative Abdul-Samad. McRae subsequently inserted the letter, along with a white powdery substance, into an envelope which he placed into a legislative mail receptacle. On April 3, 2012, McRae opened the threatening letter on the chamber floor during an active session of the Iowa Legislature. When McRae opened the letter, the white powder was released and came into contact with McRae and Representative Abdul-Samad.

McRae also admitted in the plea agreement that he intended the white powder simulate a biological agent or toxin, and he perpetrated the hoax for the purpose of creating fear in others.

McRae is scheduled to be sentenced before Chief Judge Jarvey on March 25, 2016, at 9:00 a.m. in Des Moines, Iowa. Conveying false information concerning a biological weapon is a felony that carries up to five years imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine. McRae may also be required to reimburse the state for costs associated with the commission and investigation of this crime.

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09 Dec 2015

FEDERAL COURT SENTENCES HONDURAS WOMAN ON ILLEGAL RE-ENTRY CHARGE

By Kevin E. VanderSchel

DAVENPORT, IA - On December 4, 2015, Sandra Lagos Neda, age 51, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 12 months and one day in prison after pleading guilty to illegal re-entry into the United States, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel. Lagos Neda was also ordered to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund. After serving her sentence, Lagos Neda will be turned over to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings.

This matter was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

09 Dec 2015

FEDERAL COURT SENTENCES CLINTON MAN ON THREATENING COMMUNICATION CHARGE

By Kevin E. VanderSchel

DAVENPORT, IA- On December 4, 2015, Gerald W. Ledford, age 57, of Clinton, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to four years' probation, with the first six months in home confinement, after pleading guilty to transmitting a threatening communication, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel. Ledford was also ordered to pay $100 to the Crime Victims Fund, to have no contact with the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center or any of its employees, to allow a search of his residence under certain conditions, and to restrict his possession of a computer or access to the Internet without prior approval by the United States Probation Office.

On October 20, 2014, an employee of the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center (ISBCC) discovered two messages posted to the ISBCC's Facebook page. The ISBCC is located in Roxbury, Massachusetts, and is a member of the New England Muslim community. According to its website, the ISBCC is not just a mosque, but a dynamic cultural center that is designed to serve the entire community by offering a variety of educational, spiritual, and social services. The first post made derogatory statements about "Mohamed," and made threats to harm Muslims. The second post also made a threat of violence toward Muslims.

The Facebook page posting these two messages displayed the name "Gerry Ledford" and was identified with a unique account identification number. This account was deactivated on November 14, 2014. A "friend" of this account was another Facebook publically viewable page under the name of "Gerry.ledford.3," also with a unique account identification number. Search warrants were obtained for both of these Facebook accounts. Based on information obtained from these search warrants these accounts had certain personal identifiers, such as date of birth, hometown, current city of residence, educational history and digital photographs that were consistent with the same personally identifiable information about Gerald Ledford. Both accounts logged in from an identified Internet Protocol (IP) address identified to a known family member of Ledford's. Information obtained from the search warrants showed that one of these identified Facebook accounts conducted a search for the ISBCC on October 19, 2014. A day before the posted messages, one of these Facebook accounts was used to search for information about the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" and two minutes later a search for information on the "Islamic Society of Boson Cultural Center (ISBCC)." Additional searches were conducted on similar topics both before and after October 19, 2014.

Gerald Ledford admitted in his plea proceeding that he was the individual user registered to these Facebook accounts, that on or about October 19, 2014, he knowingly posted these two threatening messages, and that he individually selected this victim because of the religious affiliation of ISBCC. Gerald Ledford further admitted that he knew that these two messages would be viewed as a threat.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Clinton, Iowa, Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa and the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts.

09 Nov 2015

HEROIN SUMMIT TO DISCUSS PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT COLLABORATION

By Kevin E. VanderSchel
DES MOINES, IA - The United States Attorney's Offices for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa, together with the University of Iowa's College of Public Health and Injury Prevention Research Center, are hosting a collaborative interagency symposium on November 12, 2015, to discuss the skyrocketing rates of death occurring in Iowa from prescription medication and heroin overdoses. For the 13-year period beginning in 2000, Iowans dying from prescription medication overdoses increased twenty-fold. Heroin overdose deaths experienced the same alarming rate of increase, jumping from one to 20 deaths per year.

The keynote speaker is award-winning journalist Sam Quinones, author of Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic. Participating in the symposium will be federal and state representatives who will be discussing medical, prevention and treatment perspectives. Law enforcement and legal implications will be analyzed. A parent's perspective will detail how the death of a loved one impacts the family.

Event Details

WHEN: Thursday, November 12, 2015
WHERE: University of Iowa College of Public Health (Callaghan Auditorium), 145 N. Riverside Drive, Iowa City, Iowa
TIME: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Opening remarks begin at 8:30 a.m. followed by keynote.)

Media wishing to attend should contact Northern District of Iowa Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Young at (319) 363-6333 no later than November 10th to confirm their attendance. A press release will be provided on the day of the symposium, and interview opportunities will be available.

# # #
22 Oct 2015

STATEMENT BY ATTORNEY GENERAL LORETTA E. LYNCH ON DEPARTURE OF NICK KLINEFELDT AS U.S. ATTORNEY OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF IOWA

By Kevin E. VanderSchel

WASHINGTON - Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch released the following statement on the departure of U.S. Attorney Nick Klinefeldt of the Southern District of Iowa:

"For the last six years, United States Attorney Nick Klinefeldt has rendered exemplary service to the people of Iowa's Southern District and to the nation as a whole," said Attorney General Lynch.  "From our earliest days together as U.S. Attorneys, Nick has approached his responsibilities with unwavering devotion, unassailable integrity and consummate skill.  He has been a courageous leader in criminal justice reform, an innovative pioneer in the reduction of mandatory minimum sentencing, and a vital ally and wise counselor in his work on the Attorney General's Advisory Committee.  In all his efforts, through his hard work and commitment on behalf of his constituents, Nick has materially advanced the cause of justice.  I thank him for his outstanding service, and I look forward to all that he will achieve in the years to come."

# # #
22 Oct 2015

U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt To Step Down

By Kevin E. VanderSchel

DES MOINES, IA–Nicholas A. Klinefeldt announced today that he will step

down as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, effective November

15, 2015. After leaving office, Mr. Klinefeldt will become a partner in the Des Moines

office of an international law firm.

"Serving as United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa has been the

greatest honor and privilege of my career," United States Attorney Klinefeldt said today.

"I am grateful for the trust placed in me by President Obama and appreciate the

opportunity I have had to work with Attorneys General Holder and Lynch and the other

dedicated professionals across the Department of Justice. I have been inspired by the

ongoing commitment to justice displayed by the lawyers and staff in the Southern District

of Iowa. They work hard every day to protect the communities across Iowa, and

vigorously represent the United States."

On September 25, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Mr. Klinefeldt to be

the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa. The United States Senate

unanimously confirmed his nomination on November 21, 2009, and he was sworn into

office on November 25, 2009. Prior to his appointment as United States Attorney, Mr.

Klinefeldt practiced white collar criminal defense in Boston, Massachusetts, and then

both civil and criminal law in Des Moines, Iowa. Mr. Klinefeldt received his B.A. with

honors and his J.D. with distinction from the University of Iowa. He clerked for U.S.

District Court Judge Robert W. Pratt of the Southern District of Iowa and Chief Justice

Christopher J. Armstrong and Justice Benjamin Kaplan of the Massachusetts Appeals

Court.

As United States Attorney, Mr. Klinefeldt has been a member of the Attorney

General's Advisory Subcommittee on White Collar Crime and co-chair of the Attorney

General's Advisory Subcommittee on Criminal Practice. As co-chair of the

Subcommittee on Criminal Practice, United States Attorney Klinefeldt worked with other

leaders in the Department of Justice, on a national basis, to update and expand discovery

policies to ensure defendants receive all of the information they need to adequately

defend themselves, and revamp sentencing practices to ensure the end result of a

prosecution is fair.

Locally, United States Attorney Klinefeldt developed a comprehensive discovery

policy for the Southern District of Iowa that ensures criminal defendants receive even

more information about the case against them than is required by the rules and that they

receive it quickly. This policy included the development of a Stipulated Discovery and

Protective Order that is now universally used in all criminal cases across the district.

United States Attorney Klinefeldt also changed the way the office utilized mandatory

minimum sentences, to ensure that they were only used when absolutely necessary.

As United States Attorney, Mr. Klinefeldt has served as the chief federal law

enforcement officer for the Southern District of Iowa. He has taken great pride in the

relationships he and the office have developed with their federal, state, and local law

enforcement partners. United States Attorney Klinefeldt emphasized and expanded white

collar crime enforcement in the Southern District of Iowa. Under United States Attorney

Klinefeldt's leadership, the office also brought two major civil rights cases against Des

Moines Police Officers for excessive force.

Mr. Klinefeldt's leadership of the United States Attorney's Office included not

only being extensively involved in each of the cases brought by his office, but also

personally handling and trying to juries several prosecutions himself.

The Southern District of Iowa covers 47 of Iowa's 99 counties, and includes

Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Ames, Iowa City, Davenport, and Burlington. The United

States Attorney's Office, with staffed offices in Council Bluffs, Des Moines, and

Davenport, has 26 Assistant United States Attorneys and is responsible for conducting all

criminal and civil litigation in the district involving the United States government.

# # #

12 Mar 2013

Davenport man Sentenced after Federal Conviction for Felon in Possession of Ammunition

By Kevin E. VanderSchel
DAVENPORT, IA- On March 8, 2013, Yusuf Hasan Shariff, age 56, from Davenport, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey to 15 months imprisonment on the charge of possession of ammunition as a felon, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Shariff was also ordered to serve three years supervised release and pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund.

On April 13, 2012, Scott County, Iowa, Sheriff deputies responded to a local gas station when Shariff was unable to pay for gasoline. When Shariff was unable to find a means to pay the bill, he handed the deputy a .32 caliber bullet and said ". . . let's take this to the next level."

During a transport to jail, Shariff made verbal threats to kill the deputy. The Clinton County dispatcher also reported that police had made contact with Shariff earlier that day, and that Shariff made statements about revenge against the police department.

On April 17, 2012, a Davenport police officer conducted a traffic stop of a mini-van driven by Shariff. Shariff ended up crashing his vehicle into a retaining wall near Genesis West in Davenport. When a Davenport police officer approached Shariff, he refused several orders to remain still and to go down to his knees. As the officer approached, Shariff stood up, pulled away from the officer, and then swung at and punched the officer in the mouth. A second police officer arrived and Shariff physically struggled with both officers. As they went to the ground, Shariff obtained control of a knife and stabbed at the police officers. With the assistance of a third officer, Shariff was taken into custody. While being transported to jail, Shariff again made verbal threats to kill a Davenport police officer.

On April 19, 2012, Davenport police officers searched Shariff's Davenport residence and seized an additional 15 rounds of .32 caliber ammunition. On October 22, 2012, Shariff pled guilty to possession of ammunition as a felon, having previously been convicted in 1999 of a felony drug offense.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Davenport Police Department, and the Scott County Sheriff's Office, and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative.
26 Jan 2012

DAVENPORT MAN SENTENCED FOR MAINTAINING A DRUG HOUSE

By Kevin E. VanderSchel
DAVENPORT, IA - On January 26, 2012, Roger Dengler, age 55, of Davenport, Iowa, was sentenced to 78 months imprisonment for maintaining a drug house announced United  States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Chief United States District Judge James E. Gritzner also sentenced Dengler to two years supervised release following imprisonment and to pay $100 to the Crime Victims Fund. On March 7, 2011, Dengler pled guilty to maintaining a drug house.

During the summer of 2006, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Quad Cities Metropolitan Enforcement Group conducted an investigation into the distribution of marijuana and cocaine in the Davenport area after seizing 80 pounds of marijuana from a hotel room.

During the course of the investigation, police learned that Dengler, a 36 year employee of the United States Postal Office, allowed various members of the conspiracy access to his home to store cocaine and marijuana. Marijuana was transported from Denver, Colorado to Dengler's home concealed in tires. Once it arrived in Davenport, Dengler, and others, would break down the tires, retrieve the marijuana, weigh and repackage it, then distribute it to various customers in the Davenport area. Cocaine was also transported from Denver to Davenport and stored in Dengler's home. In exchange for the use of his home, Dengler received cocaine and marijuana.

During the course of the conspiracy, Dengler stored at least 1,000 kilograms of marijuana in his home.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Quad Cities Metropolitan Enforcement Group, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney's
Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

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