Waterloo Meth Kingpin Gets Over 19 Years

Waterloo’s Matthew James Wessels, 44, has been locked away for over nineteen years in federal prison after being caught with over thirteen pounds of ice methamphetamine. The distribution kingpin received a sentence of 234 months on July 2, 2025, following his December 23, 2024, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

Wessels had previously served time for drug-related offenses and was released in the summer of 2024. Upon his release, he conspired with others to import and distribute ice meth in Waterloo and nearby areas. His reign of terror ended when law enforcement caught him distributing meth on multiple occasions, including three times to an undercover officer.

United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams handed down the sentence in Cedar Rapids. In addition to the lengthy prison term, Wessels must serve ten years of supervised release upon his release from custody. Federal law does not offer parole.

The case was a massive collaborative effort by multiple agencies. Special Assistant United States Attorney Jared Manternach prosecuted the case, while the FBI and various local and state law enforcement agencies conducted the investigation. These included the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, and more.

Court file information for this drug trafficking case can be found at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl, under case number 24-CR-2035. Follow the United States Attorney’s Office Northern District of Iowa on X @USAO_NDIA for more updates on criminal justice.

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