Chance Rebel Nielsen, 23, of Sioux City, Iowa, pleaded guilty on January 31, 2023, to being a prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition—a crime that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison.
Nielsen’s criminal history sealed his fate: a felony conviction for Going Armed with Intent in Woodbury County District Court on October 15, 2021, stripped him of the legal right to own or carry a gun. Yet, just over a year later, he was caught red-handed—literally—during a traffic stop on August 29, 2022, where law enforcement found a Glock 9mm Luger, a .45 ACP firearm, and matching ammunition in the vehicle where Nielsen was a passenger.
That stop was no fluke. Investigators uncovered earlier damning evidence: surveillance footage from Scheels in Sioux City showed Nielsen openly carrying the same 9mm tucked in his waistband on August 23, 2022—six days before the traffic stop. He’d purchased ammunition from the store that matched the rounds found in the car, creating a paper trail straight to his illegal arsenal.
Digital evidence deepened the case. Cell phone data seized during the investigation revealed a video of Nielsen shooting at a gun range and a series of text messages detailing negotiations to buy and sell firearms—proof he wasn’t just hoarding weapons, but actively trafficking them.
Nielsen now awaits sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand, once a presentence report is finalized. He faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and no more than three years of supervised release. He remains in custody of the United States Marshal.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and investigated by the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, Le Mars Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN, the Department of Justice’s flagship violent crime reduction program, targets the most dangerous offenders with coordinated enforcement, prevention, and reentry strategies. Case file 22-4077; more at iand.uscourts.gov. Follow @USAO_NDIA for updates.
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