Antonio Deshawn Russell, Marijuana and Firearm Charge, Iowa 2020

A 35-year-old Iowa City man has been sentenced to 144 months in prison for his role in a marijuana and firearm charge. Antonio Deshawn Russell was found guilty of Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm.

According to the investigation, law enforcement identified Russell in November 2020 after Iowa City Police Officers responded to a shots-fired incident. In December 2020, officers executed a search warrant at Russell's residence, where they located a nine-millimeter Taurus handgun with an obliterated serial number, 57 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, and two cell phones.

The cell phones contained evidence of drug trafficking, which further implicated Russell in the crime. In February 2021, Coralville police were dispatched to a shots-fired incident and Russell was observed fleeing from the location in a vehicle at a high rate of speed.

An officer stopped Russell and observed indicia of intoxication on him when he fled again at a high rate of speed. The officer pursued Russell again and observed Russell crash his vehicle into a light pole. Russell threw a loaded and stolen firearm out of the passenger window.

Russell was a convicted felon and ineligible to possess firearms, making the charges against him even more serious. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.

The investigation was conducted by the Iowa City Police Department and the Coralville Police Department. Russell's prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release, during which he will be required to pay a $200 Special Assessment to the Crime Victims' Fund.

Russell's case serves as a reminder of the serious consequences that come with violating firearms laws and engaging in illicit activities. As the investigation and prosecution of such cases continue, it is clear that law enforcement and the justice system will not tolerate such behavior.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdia/pr/iowa-city-man-sentenced-federal-prison-marijuana-and-firearm-charge