A Monmouth man has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for possessing firearms as a prohibited person.
John Lee Ralston, 55, received the prison term after a May 18, 2022 guilty plea of possessing firearms as a prohibited person.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that on January 15, 2021, law enforcement officers searched Ralston’s home and discovered two firearms in his bedroom and drug paraphernalia throughout his house.
That same day, Ralston gave a urine sample that tested positive for controlled substances, including methamphetamine. Ralston has a prior federal felony offense for possessing firearms as an unlawful drug user.
Ralston has four other felony convictions and one serious misdemeanor conviction for domestic abuse assault causing bodily injury.
Ralston was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. He must serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and Assistant United States Attorney Emily Nydle and investigated by the Jones County Sheriff’s Office, Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and officers with the Jones County Emergency Response Team.
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Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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