Sioux City Heroin Kingpin Gets 25 Years

SIOUX CITY, IA – Shelton Oliver, 48, a three-time convicted felon, is headed to federal prison for a quarter-century after being found guilty of running a heroin distribution network in Sioux City, Iowa. The sentence, handed down May 29, 2019, by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand, reflects the severity of Oliver’s crimes and his blatant disregard for public safety.

Oliver, also known as “Sinbad,” was convicted on August 14, 2018, of one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and four counts of distribution of the deadly opioid. The jury heard damning evidence that Oliver peddled heroin on multiple occasions – February 7, 14, and 27, 2018, and March 13, 2018 – directly to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. The scope of his operation stretched from 2016 until his capture in March 2018.

What makes this case particularly chilling is the proximity of Oliver’s drug dealing to vulnerable locations. The court found that the conspiracy and individual distributions occurred within 1000 feet of Dale Street Park, Grandview Park, Alfred Thompson Children’s Park, Dinosaur Park, and Hunt Elementary School. Oliver knowingly endangered the lives of children and families simply to turn a profit.

The evidence presented at trial painted a grim picture of Oliver’s callousness. Investigators revealed that on October 6, 2017, Oliver sold heroin to Ty Olsen, who tragically died later that same day from an overdose. Even more disturbingly, on March 13, 2018, Oliver conducted a heroin deal from his car while another individual was actively overdosing in the passenger seat. Thankfully, that person was revived by quick-acting medical personnel, but the incident underscores the recklessness of Oliver’s actions.

Oliver received a 300-month sentence – 25 years – and will also serve a 10-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison. Unlike state systems, there is no parole in the federal system, meaning Oliver will serve the entirety of his sentence. He is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals awaiting transfer to a designated federal facility.

The successful prosecution was a collaborative effort led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Lammers and Mikala Steenholdt, and spearheaded by the Tri-State Drug Task Force. The task force includes personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Sioux City Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, South Sioux City Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Iowa National Guard, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, U.S. Marshals Service, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. Court file information can be found at ecf.iand.uscourts.gov, case number 18-4038. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa on Twitter: @USAO_NDIA.