Iowa Man Stuck with 15 Years for Breaking Gun Laws

Cedar Rapids Man Stuck with 15 Years for Breaking Gun Laws

A convicted felon with a penchant for firearms is facing the music after pleading guilty to violating federal gun laws in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Kyler Goettsch, 26, of Cedar Rapids, admitted to possessing two pistols, a Springfield and a Sig Sauer, in November 2023.

Goettsch’s guilty plea on a single count of being a prohibited person in possession of firearms comes after he was convicted of four felonies and a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. His history of violent crimes makes him a prime target for law enforcement under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative.

Under PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify and address violent crime hotspots in communities. By focusing enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partnering with prevention and reentry programs, PSN aims to reduce violent crime for good.

Goettsch is currently being held in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case against Goettsch was brought by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 24-16.

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