Cornelius Lavaughn David, Possessing Firearms as a Felon, Iowa 2025

Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 77 Months in Federal Prison for Firearms Charge While on Federal Supervised Release

Council Bluffs, IA - A Council Bluffs man was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison for possessing firearms as a felon.

Cornelius Lavaughn David, 37, possessed two loaded firearms, which were recovered during a traffic stop in April 2025. One of the firearms David possessed had an extended magazine loaded with 25 rounds of ammunition. David was also in possession of methamphetamine and Xanax.

At the time of the traffic stop, David was on federal supervised release for a 2023 conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon. He had been released from prison in November 2024. David was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for violating his terms of supervised release, consecutive to the 77-month sentence.

After completing his term of imprisonment, David will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was investigated by the Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

Cornelius Lavaughn David, 37, was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison for possessing firearms as a felon while on federal supervised release. The sentence includes an additional 18 months for violating his terms of supervised release.

The defendant will also serve a three-year term of supervised release after completing his term of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.

The investigation into this case was a collaborative effort involving the Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Cornelius Lavaughn David is currently serving a 77-month sentence in federal prison for possessing firearms as a felon while on federal supervised release.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in communities across the country.

Mandatory Facts: Defendant/Respondent: Cornelius Lavaughn David, Crime: Possessing Firearms as a Felon, City and State: Council Bluffs, IA, Exact Date: December 18, 2025, Sentence/Outcome: 77 months in federal prison, with an additional 18 months for violating terms of supervised release.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdia/pr/council-bluffs-man-sentenced-77-months-federal-prison-firearms-charge-while-federal