Matthew Fowler, Possession of Firearm by Felon, Iowa 2020

Iowa Man Sentenced to 21 Months for Possessing Firearm as Felon

A convicted felon who unlawfully possessed a gun has been sentenced to 21 months in federal prison. Matthew Fowler, age 32, from Bradgate, IA, received the prison term after an August 20, 2019, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.

The crime occurred when Fowler's wife threatened to leave him, and Fowler, in a fit of rage, physically pushed and choked his wife, eventually pushing her outside into the snow. He also held a gun to his head and threatened to kill himself if she left. Fowler locked his wife outside of the home, separating her from himself and the couple’s infant child.

It was in responding to this domestic disturbance that law enforcement discovered Fowler was a felon and unlawfully in possession of a gun. Fowler was previously convicted of leaving the scene of an accident where death resulted in Iowa.

Fowler was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Fowler was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Fowler is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.

The case file number is 19-CR-3022, and more information can be found at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA for more updates on this case and others like it.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndia/pr/domestic-abuse-lands-humboldt-county-man-federal-prison-firearm-offense