Anamosa Drug Kingpin Pleads Guilty to School-Zone Meth Production

GRIMY TIMES EXCLUSIVE: Anamosa, Iowa resident Zackery Lee Smock, 36, has been hit with a guilty plea for attempted manufacture of methamphetamine near the sacred confines of St. Patrick’s school. The plea was entered on July 1, 2014, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Smock’s transgression unfolded on March 7, 2014, when he attempted to cook up a batch of the dangerous substance at an Anamosa residence. In his haste, Smock ignited a fire that threatened the safety of the nearby school, situated just a stone’s throw away from his clandestine lab.

The blaze was swiftly extinguished by local firefighters, but not before it brought the illegal operation to light. As a convicted drug felon, Smock’s actions were particularly heinous, as they occurred within 1000 feet of the educational institution.

Sentencing will be determined after a presentence report is completed and submitted to United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. Currently in US Marshal custody, Smock faces a mandatory minimum sentence of one year imprisonment, with the possibility of spending up to 60 years behind bars. A fine of $4,000,000, a special assessment of $100, and at least six years of supervised release loom as potential penalties.

The investigation into this sordid affair was a collaborative effort between the Anamosa Police Department, Anamosa Fire Department, Iowa Division of State Fire Marshal, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. Special Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams is spearheading the prosecution of Smock.

For more information on this case, including court file details, visit https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl, where the case file number is 14-cr-57.