Related Federal Cases
- Iowa Man Charged with Federal Meth Distribution · Iowa
- Manzo Brothers and Chad Root Sentenced for Iowa Meth Ring · Iowa
- Dyersville Drug Kingpin Faces Life Sentence Over Playground Meth Distributions · Iowa
- Iowa Man Sentenced for Meth Distribution Conspiracy · Minnesota
- Anamosa Drug Kingpin Pleads Guilty to School-Zone Meth Production · Iowa
Meth Kingpin Convicted in Iowa
A 43-year-old Janesville, Iowa, man has been convicted of conspiring to distribute ice methamphetamine in the state.
Robert Lewis was found guilty by a jury on August 22, 2018, after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids. The jury deliberated for approximately three hours before returning the verdict.
Lewis was convicted of conspiracy to distribute at least 500 grams of a mixture of methamphetamine and 50 grams of actual methamphetamine.
According to evidence presented at trial, Lewis began working with others to distribute ice methamphetamine throughout the Waterloo area in the summer of 2013. The group obtained methamphetamine from an out-of-state source of supply and shipped it to Iowa via FedEx, concealing it in car part boxes.
Each shipment contained multiple pounds of methamphetamine, which Lewis and his associates would then break down into smaller quantities for sale. Lewis also used his daughter to register a vehicle for the head of the drug organization and allowed other members of the conspiracy access to his home, referred to as the “clubhouse,” for the purpose of repackaging and distributing methamphetamine.
Lewis left Iowa in the fall of 2013 but continued to receive methamphetamine from his associates. In January 2014, one person attempted to send Lewis methamphetamine hidden in a Hamburger Skillet prepared meal box. FedEx employees flagged the package as suspicious, and investigators seized a quarter ounce of methamphetamine from inside the box.
Sentencing for Lewis will be set after a presentence report is prepared. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. The OCDETF program is a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force.
Lewis remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.
The case file number is 17-CR-2084, and court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
Stay up-to-date with the latest on this case and others by following us on Twitter at @USAO_NDIA.
Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News