Dubuque Man Sentenced to Decade+ in Prison for Meth Trafficking
A Dubuque man, 34-year-old Richard Thomas Hense, has been sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking and firearm possession. Hense received the prison term after a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a drug user.
According to court evidence, Hense sold approximately ten pounds of ice methamphetamine throughout Dubuque from September 2016 to October 2017. The methamphetamine was received from Derek Richard Rath, who got it in the mail from a source in Phoenix, Arizona.
On October 13, 2017, officers stopped Hense for a traffic violation and found a half-ounce of ice methamphetamine, prescription pills, a digital scale, a loaded .32 caliber revolver, and fifty-three rounds of ammunition in his vehicle. Hense admitted to possessing the methamphetamine and firearm, and stated that he had been smoking methamphetamine for the past year.
Hense was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade to 141 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hense is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman and investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, Dubuque Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Related Federal Cases
- Brandy Kay Reschly Sentenced in Iowa Meth Conspiracy · Iowa
- Vail Man Admits Meth Distribution, Faces Decade-Plus Behind Bars · Iowa
- Homedew Convicted of Meth Trafficking · Iowa
- Chelsea Ross Meier III Gets 90 Months for Meth Trafficking · Iowa
- Ernesto Soto Pleads Guilty to Meth Trafficking in Sioux County · Iowa
Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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