DES MOINES, Iowa – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned a three-count indictment charging five Des Moines individuals with offenses related to fentanyl trafficking.

The following individuals are charged in the Indictment:

• Devonte Darnell Hassell, also known as “Domo”, “Dom”, and “Rose”, 28, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and distribution of fentanyl. He faces a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
• Ryan Redmond, also known as “Chiefy”, 31, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and distribution of fentanyl. He faces a mandatory minimum 5‑year prison sentence and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
• Kevin Stanley Harris, Jr., also known as “Rylo” and “Big Hands”, 42, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and distribution of fentanyl. He faces a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence and a maximum sentence of life in prison, as he is alleged to have a prior serious drug felony conviction.
• Adonis Angel Devora, 43, is charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
• Ricky Jamall Ellis, 30, is charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.

These individuals were all arrested on December 18, 2024: four in Des Moines, and one in Houston, Texas. The same day, thirteen federal search warrants were executed, which resulted in the seizure of approximately 610 grams of heroin/fentanyl mixture, approximately 135 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 260 grams of marijuana, as well as 19 firearms and more than $13,000 in U.S. currency.

The charges stem from a months’ long investigation into fentanyl distribution within the Des Moines area.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Des Moines Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and FBI Des Moines Central Iowa Gang Task Force (CIGTF) are investigating the case, with assistance from the Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Narcotics Enforcement (DNE), Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa State Patrol SWAT, United States Marshals Service, Ames Police Department, West Des Moines Police Department, Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force (MINE), Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Story County Sheriff’s Office, Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force (MIDTF), Central Iowa Drug Task Force (CIDTF), Suburban Emergency Response Team (SERT), Metro Special Tactics and Response (STAR), the Chicago, Illinois Police Department, and the Houston, Texas Police Department.

This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce in association with Vision Atlantic, today (Friday), said Watts Management, owned by Randy & Marsha Watts, has donated $25,000 to Vision Atlantic’s transformative project, which will bring a housing development, new childcare center, and YMCA expansion to Atlantic. Randy Watts says he and his wife Marsha “Have been firm believers in Vision Atlantic’s project from the beginning. This is a huge opportunity for Atlantic to grow our population with private investments and a great partnership with the Lakin Foundation. As there continues to be donations from the community, we thought we would help out. Pledges can stretch up to five years, making donations of any amount more feasible for supporters. We are blessed to be able to donate to this cause and ask others to join us and donate as you can.”

Pictured: Melissa Ihnen, Debbie Waterbury, Christina Bateman, Marsha Watts, Amelia Jensen, Beckett Jensen and Randy Watts. (Photo submitted)

As we previously reported, Vision Atlantic, through extensive research and surveying of the community and surrounding region, identified three areas that will help increase Atlantic’s population: expanded childcare, quality housing and quality of life amenities. Construction of the 144 mixed unit housing development, 300 capacity child development center and expansion of the current YMCA facility is slated to begin late spring of 2025. Infrastructure work for the housing development and child development center is currently underway.

With substantial monetary support from the Charles E. Lakin Foundation and local donors, $20 million has been raised in the past 12 months, 66% of a $30 million goal. In addition to the Lakin Foundation’s $8.6 million grant, Vision Atlantic has also received an additional $23 million from the Foundation, which will act as a line of credit and help Vision Atlantic construct homes in the Camblin Hills Housing Development. As the dollars are paid back each year, the Foundation will donate 5% of the interest paid back to Vision Atlantic, which will be used to help operate the child development center. The $23 million is not part of Vision Atlantic’s $30 million fundraising goal.

Vision Atlantic’s Project Committee is actively working to secure the remaining $10 million needed to meet the fundraising goal. If you are interested in helping transform Atlantic, whether it’s through monetary donations or acts of volunteerism, please contact Vision Atlantic at visionatlanticiowa@gmail.com. Follow Vision Atlantic on Facebook for behind-the-scenes access to project updates or visit www.visionatlantic.org.

Vision Atlantic is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to empower growth, enhance lives, and build a thriving community together through the economic development of Atlantic, Iowa.

MALVERN, Iowa — Almost three years to the date after Malvern’s Mulholland Grocery burned down, KETV in Omaha reports their new building has reopened in the exact same location. Tom Mulholland is the owner of the store. He says his great-grandfather founded the store nearly 150 years ago. He was thrilled to reopen the store today (December 20), at 7-a.m.

Mulholland says the community has suffered in the three years without the store, as it was Malvern’s only grocery store. He says having the store open once again will make a major difference in the lives of many in Malvern. Many residents had to travel more than 20-miles or more from their homes to find groceries, after the store burned down.

Mulholland has previously stated that the new store is smaller, but more efficient than the previous building. A nearly 15-minute documentary produced in 2022 and released in 2023, entitled “They Came From All Over,” told the story of a massive response from fire departments and first responders in five counties, along with the fire’s impact on the city and region, and plans to rebuild the business.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Police in Des Moines say two adult males are in custody, and multiple firearms have been seized, in connection with the ongoing investigation of a drive-by shooting incident. On December 16th, Des Moines Police Department patrol officers responded to a shooting incident in the southside Watrous Heights neighborhood. Officers arrived to find a home hit by nearly a dozen bullets. The occupants of the home, which included two young children, were not injured. The initial investigation of the scene found that over 30 rounds had been fired at the home from three different caliber guns.

Over the next three days, Des Moines Police Department Intelligence Section detectives investigated this incident. Detectives found evidence, including surveillance video and social media postings, that led them to the recovery of a stolen vehicle that is believed to have been used in the shooting, and the identification of one suspect: 19-year-old Bryan Keith Rainey. On December 19th, Rainey ran on foot from investigating officers, however he was quickly caught. A gun was found in his pants when he was taken into custody. 18-year-old Hamid Lula was detained at Rainey’s home as detectives prepared to serve a search warrant there. Lula was found to have two guns in his possession. Evidence indicates that Rainey participated in the drive-by shooting with two other persons, who have yet to be identified.

Rainey has been charged with the following offenses:

• Intimidation With A Dangerous Weapon (3 counts; Class C felony)

• Going Armed With Intent (Class D felony)

• Conspiracy To Commit A Forcible Felony (Class C felony)

• Interference With Official Acts – Firearm (Class D felony)

• Persons Ineligible To Carry Dangerous Weapons (Serious Misdemeanor)

Lula has been charged with the following offenses:

• Persons Ineligible To Carry Dangerous Weapons (2 counts; Serious Misdemeanor)

• Possession Of A Controlled Substance – Marijuana (Serious Misdemeanor)

Des Moines Police Department detectives continue this investigation.

DES MOINES, Iowa — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawsuit over the last Iowa Poll before the election will now be heard in federal court. KCCI reports Trump’s attorneys filed suit against the Des Moines Register and pollster J. Ann Selzer on Tuesday in Polk County. The lawsuit says the Iowa Poll released before the election was an attempt to “influence the outcome of the 2024 election.”

The poll showed Vice President Kamala Harris leading Trump by three percentage points. Donald Trump won Iowa by double digits. Attorneys for the Des Moines Register asked to move the case to federal court for several reasons, including the plaintiff and defendants are in different places.

The Des Moines Register has said it stands by its reporting.