Waterloo Shooter Pleads Guilty To Gun, Drug Charges

Amidst a wave of violence gripping Waterloo, Iowa, 31-year-old Amos Dee Deering Sr. stood before the federal court in Cedar Rapids on February 25, 2013, to plea guilty to a litany of serious charges. The admitted shooter, who shot another individual on October 19, 2012, has been charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, and being unlawfully in possession of a firearm as a felon, domestic abuser, and drug user.

Deering’s fall from grace began early on October 19, 2012, when he engaged in a violent altercation at a residence in the 400 block of Lane Street in Waterloo. Amidst the fight, Deering fired a shot into the upper torso of his victim. In a bid to escape, Deering drove to Singing Bird Lake park but was stopped shortly after by police on suspicion of drunk driving. The search led to an eerie discovery—a discarded sock harboring a pistol and some crack cocaine. Further investigation linked the firearm to the scene of the shooting.

Deering’s criminal history is a stark testament to his troubled past, including convictions for first-degree burglary, felony eluding, and domestic abuse causing bodily injury. As he awaits sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade, Deering remains in the custody of the United States Marshal.

Should Deering be sentenced as per the mandatory minimum, he faces a prison term of five years’ imprisonment, with the possibility of life imprisonment. The financial penalties are equally staggering, with fines totaling $1,500,000 and special assessments of $300. Additionally, Deering could be subjected to a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The prosecution of this case has been handled by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham, while the Waterloo Police Department was instrumental in the investigation. Those seeking more information about the case can access court file details at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl, with the case file number being 6:13-CR-02002-LRR.