(Radio Iowa) – An eastern Iowa man has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to dealing drugs. Prosecutors describe 62-year-old George Patrick Ashby as a large-scale meth dealer. Court records indicate Ashby was the leader of a drug ring that shipped large amounts of crystal meth — often called ice — from southeast Iowa to the Cedar Rapids area for redistribution. The drug ring also sold heroin. Ashby was arrested in Burlington in March of 2020 and he told authorities the gun in his possession could be linked to a 2019 murder in Cedar Rapids.

Ashby has at least eight previous felony convictions in state court. This case was prosecuted in federal court. There is no parole in the federal system, so Ashby would have to live until he’s 92 before being eligible for release.

The Glenwood Police Department reports a Montgomery County man was arrested Saturday, on drug charges. Authorities say 20-year-old Logan Eichelberger, of Elliott, was arrested for Possession of a controlled substance and poss. of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $1,300. And, 62-year-old Joseph Raven, of Springfield, NE., was arrested Saturday for OWI/1st offense. Bond was set at $1,000.

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating an incident that left a man with a gunshot to his leg. Officers found the victim in the 3500 block of Avenue A at around 10:50-p.m., Sunday. The subject was transported by Council Bluffs Fire and Rescue to the hospital, for treatment of a non-life threatening injury.

Detectives with the Council Bluffs Criminal Investigation Division (CID) interviewed several people, but as of this report, no arrests had been made, and the incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 712-328-4728 (CB-PD CID), or Crime Stoppers at 712-328-STOP (7867).

A domestic incident last week in rural Page County resulted in the arrest of a juvenile. The Page County Sheriff’s Office says deputies responded March 16th to an in incident in rural Page County north of Clarinda, for a Domestic situation. During the investigation, a male juvenile was removed from the residence and a criminal charge of assault was filed in Juvenile Court. The juvenile was placed with other family at another residence. His case is pending in Juvenile Court, for further proceedings.

Sheriff’s deputies in Page County, last week, arrested 32-year-old Timothy Ryan Eugene Betts, of New Market. He was taken into custody at the Page County Sheriff’s Office on a Page County Warrant for Violation of Probation. Betts was unable to post the $5,000 cash-only bond, and was booked into the Page County Jail pending further court proceedings.

Timothy Ryan Eugene Betts

(Clarinda, Iowa) – The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports two separate, weekend arrests. On Sunday, Deputies responded to a Domestic situation in rural Page County, north of Clarinda. Following an investigation, a resident, 40-year-old Joshua Daniel Woolsey, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault and Child Endangerment (both aggravated misdemeanors). Woolsey was transported to the Page County Jail where he was held without bond, pending an appearance before a Magistrate.

Joshua D. Woolsey

And, on Saturday, a traffic stop on Highway 2 about six-miles west of Clarinda resulted in the arrest of 43-year-old Michael Gene Landon, Jr., of Council Bluffs, for Driving while License Suspended. Landon Jr. was transported to the Page County Jail and held on $491.25 bond, pending further court proceedings.

A charge is merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Confirmation hearings are getting underway this (Monday) morning for President Biden’s nominee to the U-S Supreme Court. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley will be leading the Republicans in their questioning of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. “We will be fair and thorough, as people would expect us to be, but we won’t get down in the gutter like Democrats did during the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings,” Grassley says. “I’m sure you folks remember how bad that got.”

Grassley is referring to now-Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was nominated for the Supreme Court by President Trump in 2018. Shortly after being nominated, Kavanaugh was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in the 1980s when they were in high school, and two other women accused him of sexual misconduct, all allegations he denied. After fiery hearings, Kavanaugh was confirmed by the Senate on a 50-to-48 vote. As for Jackson, Grassley says she’ll be facing, in his words, tough questions. “Those tough questions will be about her record,” Grassley says, “tough questions about her judicial philosophy, tough questions about her views on the role of justices of the Supreme Court.”

Grassley says he’s also concern about whether Jackson believes “in what liberals call a living constitution,” a viewpoint from which the U-S Constitution could be changed based on the perspectives of the justices on the high court. “There’s already been some concerns raised about her preferences and views on criminal sentencing,” Grassley says. “Whether her supporters like it or not, that’s part of her record and it will be the subject of legitimate questions.”

Jackson and Grassley met one-one-one earlier this month, shortly after President Biden announced she was his choice to replace Justice Stephen Breyer, who’s stepping down at the end of June. While Grassley is the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Iowa’s other U-S senator and fellow Republican Joni Ernst is also on the panel.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department report the arrest at around 3:10-a.m., Sunday, of 46-year-old Kevin Joel Cavin, from Creston. He was taken into custody at a residence in the 300 block of N. Cherry Street, and charged with OWI 3^rd. Cavin was taken to the Union County Jail and being held on $5000 cash or surety bond.

On Friday, Creston Police arrested 58-year-old Jack E Snyder, of Diagonal. Snyder was arrested at the Creston/Union County Law Enforcement Center on a Union County Warrant for Failure to Appear, on an original Driving while Barred charge, an aggravated Misdemeanor. Snyder was released to Ringgold County Jail for an active warrant in their county after seeing Magistrate.

And, there were two arrests in Creston last Thursday: 59-year-old David Joseph Tindle, of Des Moines, was arrested at the Creston/Union County Law Enforcement Center on a Union County Warrant for a Violation of Parole. Tindle was being held in the Union Jail on $35,000 cash or surety bond.; and, 54-year-old James Leroy Jones, of Creston, was arrested at the Creston/Union County Law Enforcement Center on two Union County warrants for Violation of Probation. Jones was being held in the Union County Jail on $4,300 cash only bond.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A traffic stop at around 6-p.m. Sunday, in Red Oak, resulted in an arrest. Red Oak Police reports 48-year-old Richard Allen Straw, of Red Oak, was arrested in the 1700 block of N. 4th Street, for Driving While Suspended. His bond at the Montgomery County Jail, was set at slightly more than $491 ($491.25).

(Adel, IA) – Sheriff’s officials in Dallas County reports one person was shot after they allegedly tried to break into a residence in rural Perry, Sunday night. Perry Police transferred a 911 call to the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office at around 10:48-p.m., with regard to a shooting that had just occurred at 19408 123rd Place in rural Perry. Dallas County Deputies and Perry Police Officers responded to the scene and located one male subject with multiple gun shot wounds. The male was later identified as 22-year-old Hunter Keasey, from Dallas Center.

Authorities quickly determined that Keasey was (allegedly) actively trying to break into the residence when the home’s owner defended his family and fired multiple rounds at the intruder. Keasey was airlifted to Methodist Hospital for his injuries. He was treated for non-life threatening injuries and he was later released to the custody of law enforcement. The residents at 19408 123rd Place are cooperating with the investigation and made the initial 911 phone call.

Hunter Keasey (Dallas County Sheriff’s Office photo)

Officials says there is no relationship between Keasey and the residents. There is no danger to the public at this time. Authorities say it appears to have been an isolated incident. Keasey is in the custody of the Dallas County Jail and has been arrested and charged with Burglary 3rd Degree, Criminal Mischief 4th Degree, and Simple Assault.

The Dallas County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Perry Police Department, Dallas County EMS, and the Dallas County Attorney’s Office.