Prequondis Lequay Holmes, Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Iowa 2019

A convicted felon from Waterloo, Iowa, has been sentenced to over five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm. Prequondis Lequay Holmes, 29, was handed the lengthy sentence after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon in December 2019.

The charges stem from a 2018 traffic stop where Holmes fled the scene, leaving behind a loaded pistol with an attached high-capacity extended magazine. Law enforcement found Holmes’ DNA on the firearm, which linked him to the crime.

Holmes’ prior convictions include intimidation with a dangerous weapon, reckless use of a firearm, assault causing bodily injury, eluding, and flight to avoid prosecution. His lengthy rap sheet weighed heavily in the sentencing decision.

United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams presided over the sentencing hearing in Cedar Rapids and handed down a 70-month prison term for Holmes. He will also serve a three-year term of supervised release after completing his prison sentence.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program aimed at reducing violent crime through community-based solutions and targeted enforcement efforts. Holmes’ conviction is also a success for Project Guardian, a federal initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce firearms laws.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.

Holmes is currently being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison to serve his sentence.

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