DUBUQUE, IA – Three Dubuque men are headed to federal prison after being convicted of illegally possessing firearms and, in some cases, obstructing a federal investigation. The sentences, handed down by Chief Judge Linda R. Reade of the United States District Court, reflect the seriousness of the crimes and the brazen disregard for the law displayed by the defendants.
Camron Andrew Pete, Jr., 24, received the harshest sentence: the statutory maximum of ten years in prison. Pete pleaded guilty on April 25, 2016, to possessing a firearm while an unlawful user of a controlled substance. Court records reveal Pete admitted to firing shots at an occupied residence in Dubuque back in December 2015. Judge Reade found that Pete used a high-capacity magazine during the shooting, and the bullets penetrated the home. But the trouble didn’t stop there; Pete also attempted to tamper with a grand jury witness in a clear effort to derail the investigation.
Reginald Darnell Shaw, Jr., 25, received a 46-month sentence after pleading guilty on April 28, 2016, to the same charge as Pete – possessing a firearm while an unlawful user of a controlled substance – as well as having a prior misdemeanor conviction for domestic violence. Shaw wasn’t just along for the ride; he admitted to traveling from Wisconsin specifically to protect Pete and accompanied him to the shooting, carrying a loaded firearm. He was essentially Pete’s bodyguard, escalating the danger of the situation.
The source of the guns used in the shooting was Landon Nathanson-Love, 24, who was sentenced to 57 months in prison after pleading guilty on April 25, 2016, to possessing a firearm while an unlawful user of a controlled substance. Nathanson-Love wasn’t a shooter, but a facilitator. He admitted to selling Pete and Shaw the firearms, which he had illegally obtained through a fraudulently procured gun permit. Like Pete, Nathanson-Love attempted to obstruct justice, collaborating with a family member to delete a social media account and tamper with a grand jury witness.
Judge Reade didn’t just hand down sentences; she commended the courage of the witnesses who came forward despite the defendants’ attempts to intimidate and silence them. Each defendant was also assessed a $100 special assessment and will serve a three-year term of supervised release following their prison terms. It’s worth remembering there is no parole in the federal system – these men will serve their full sentences. All three are currently in the custody of the United States Marshals awaiting transport to federal prison.
The case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek, with crucial investigative work carried out by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 16-CR-1011-LRR. Follow the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa on Twitter: @USAO_NDIA.
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Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons|Violent Crime|Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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