Joseph Tapia, Illegal Gun Possession, Iowa 2024

A Sioux City man was sentenced to over 4 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm after a previous conviction for burglary.

Joseph Tapia, age 25, received the prison term after pleading guilty on August 28, 2024, to possession of a firearm by a felon. Tapia had previously been convicted of six counts of second-degree burglary and one count of third-degree burglary in 2017.

On December 11, 2023, the Sioux City Police stopped Tapia for operating a bicycle without a headlamp, as required by city code. When officers attempted to arrest Tapia, he began resisting and tried to pull away. A search of the defendant’s fanny pack revealed a loaded 9mm pistol and a digital scale containing methamphetamine residue.

Tapia was paroled on his state convictions in 2021 and was warned about the consequences of possessing a firearm during a meeting. However, he committed the federal offense within two years of being discharged from state supervision.

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 prevention and reentry programs.

Tapia was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment (less time served) and must serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. He is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until transportation to a federal prison.

The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.

Tapia’s case file number is 24-4006, and court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

Follow the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa on X @USAO_NDIA.

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