A Sioux City man has been sentenced to federal prison for illegally possessing guns, despite being a user of illegal drugs.
Jason Mota, age 27, of Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a drug user.
Evidence presented at his detention, change of plea, and sentencing hearings revealed Mota was an unlawful user and trafficker of cocaine and marijuana, and illegally in possession of five guns.
The crime was discovered on May 3, 2020, when officers responded to a shots fired call. Citizen witnesses described a male walking on the sidewalk firing handguns into the air, and law enforcement was informed of his whereabouts. When police approached Mota’s apartment, he walked out and confessed to being the shooter.
Mota gave consent to search his home, and officers found guns, $2,000 in cash, packaging materials, a digital scale, pounds of marijuana, and 100 grams of cocaine.
At his sentencing, Mota claimed he had been hoarding drugs to support his own personal use in a time of pandemic. However, the district court did not credit the claim, concluding that he had possessed his guns in connection with his drug trafficking activity.
Mota was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime through a broad spectrum of stakeholders working together to identify and address pressing violent crime problems in the community.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
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Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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