Eric Allen Boyer, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Iowa 2018

Grimy Times has learned that Eric Allen Boyer, a 36-year-old from Hiawatha, Iowa, has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. The conviction comes after Boyer pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm on August 2, 2018.

The evidence against Boyer was uncovered during a search conducted by the Cedar Rapids Police Department at a house on Washington Avenue SE in April 2017. It was then that officers found Boyer hiding in a bedroom closet, where they also seized a pistol, a stolen revolver, approximately 50 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, syringes, and drug packaging.

According to court records, Boyer had previously been convicted of arson in the second degree in 2015, and of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in 2010. The firearms, Boyer claimed, were to protect the drugs from being stolen.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime. PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Boyer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. He will serve a 120-month prison term, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Boyer is currently being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.

Boyer’s case highlights the dangers of repeat offenders and the importance of law enforcement’s efforts to crack down on violent crime. As we continue to report on this story, we will provide updates on any developments in the case.

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