Officials with the U-S Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa have announced a man from Crawford County, 37-year-old Ian Ward, of Denison, pled guilty July 2nd (2024), to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm, one count of possession of a short-barreled rifle, and one count of possession of silencers.

At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on August 21, 2023, a traffic stop in Pocahontas County found Ward, high on fentanyl (he admitted as much to the deputy who stopped him), with six traditional firearms, including an illegal, short-barreled rifle, plus several full silencer/suppressor type devices. Law enforcement also located and seized from Ward’s vehicle methamphetamine, THC wax, and drug user paraphernalia. Ward admitted to being a user of fentanyl, meth, and marijuana and to a previous conviction for a felony drug offense in Minnesota. Being a felon as well as illegal user of drugs prohibited Ward from possessing any firearm.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a pre-sentence report is prepared. Ward remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. On the prohibited possession of firearm conviction, Ward faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. On the two convictions of possession of illegal firearm/silencers, Ward faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $10,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following imprisonment.