Nickolas Schwenn, Possession of Firearm by Felon, Iowa 2023

Denison Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Gun Possession

Nickolas Schwenn, a 42-year-old man from Denison, Iowa, has been sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a felon and drug user, according to a recent court hearing.

Schwenn was found unconscious behind the wheel of another person’s vehicle on a private landowner’s property on December 12, 2021. When law enforcement arrived, they found a shotgun on the rear floorboard of the vehicle and a handgun in the door pocket of the driver’s side door.

The deputy, who recognized Schwenn and knew him to be a felon, woke Schwenn and directed him to exit the vehicle. However, Schwenn began to argue with the officer and then rammed a cow gate in front of his vehicle with his car. He then put his vehicle in reverse and rammed his vehicle into the front of the landowner’s vehicle.

Officers, threatening Schwenn with a taser, were able to get him out of his vehicle and placed him under arrest. Schwenn also admitted to having drugs in his pocket, but no drugs were found on his person.

Schwenn was not capable of legally possessing a gun due to a previous conviction for burglary and has additional convictions for eluding law enforcement.

Schwenn was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand in Sioux City to 84 months’ imprisonment, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. He is currently being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was investigated by the Crawford County, Iowa Sheriff’s department and Monona County, Iowa Sheriff’s department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.

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