Chicago’s Cedrinique Coleman, 32, was found guilty yesterday by a federal jury in Sioux City, Iowa, of four counts of false statement and representation during firearm purchases and two counts of purchasing firearms for prohibited persons—a practice known as straw purchasing.
The jury reached its decision after approximately four hours of deliberation following a four-day trial. Coleman purchased seven firearms between April 2020 and July 2023, with many surfacing at crime scenes across Iowa and beyond. Two Glock 19 handguns were converted to machineguns, one recovered from the possession of a prohibited person in Chicago and the other used in the shooting of a police officer in Minneapolis.
According to trial evidence, Coleman also reported a Glock 22 handgun stolen to distance herself from the gun should it be linked to a crime. Another handgun was found in her boyfriend’s possession during a February 2024 search warrant at her apartment. Her boyfriend is prohibited from firearm possession due to his status as an illegal drug user and domestic abuser, of which Coleman was also a victim.
Photos and text messages retrieved from Coleman’s phone indicated she communicated with her boyfriend before and during the purchases. It was shown that Coleman bought the guns at his request or demand. The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence.
Coleman faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release if convicted. Sentencing will be determined following a presentence report prepared by the United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Iowa Division of Narcotic Enforcement, Cedar Rapids Police Department, and Mason City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin C. Fletcher and Kraig R. Hamit are prosecuting the case. Court file information can be found at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl, with the case number 24-3038.
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Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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