EAGLE GROVE, IOWA – A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine while illegally possessing a firearm was sentenced January 14, 2021, to more than 12 years in federal prison.
Bobby Hernandez, 50, from Eagle Grove, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 27, 2020, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Hernandez was previously convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, on or about September 29, 2009.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from about 2017 through about October 2019, Hernandez distributed at least 750 grams of methamphetamine mixture in the Eagle Grove/Wright County, Iowa areas. On April 29, 2019, Hernandez was arrested in Webster County, Iowa, pursuant to an outstanding arrest warrant for a state probation violation. At the time of this arrest, officers seized over 7 grams of methamphetamine. Hernandez also distributed over 6 grams of methamphetamine on two occasions in June and August of 2019 to individuals cooperating with law enforcement. On August 15, 2019, Hernandez was arrested in Fort Dodge, Iowa for an outstanding warrant for failure to appear related to a Wright County, Iowa criminal case. During the arrest, officers seized a bag under the car seat where Hernandez had been sitting, which contained small quantities of methamphetamine and heroin, and a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol with a homemade silencer affixed to the barrel.
Hernandez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Hernandez was sentenced to 152 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Hernandez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Wright County Sheriff’s Office, Eagle Grove Police Department, Fort Dodge Police Department, and Iowa DCI.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-3049. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.