COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Officials with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa, Wednesday (today), announced three sentences for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine were imposed Tuesday: 35-year old Joseph A. Brown, of Omaha, was sentenced to ten years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release; 31-year old Christopher M. Rouse, of Omaha, was sentenced to twenty years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release; and, 28-year old Bernave Navarrete, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced to twenty years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

Their convictions were the result of a lengthy investigation by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force into methamphetamine trafficking in Western Iowa. The investigation revealed that methamphetamine was being brought into the Omaha, Nebraska, area from Mexico, and then transported to various locations in Nebraska and Western Iowa for distribution.

As part of the investigation, the following individuals were previously sentenced to prison: Jackie Thielen, ten years; Brandy Kumpula, eight years; Chase Richard, fifteen years; Jessica Snavely, ten years; and William LaBenz, five years. The sentencing hearings for Omar Martinez, Laura Rausch-Anderson, Colby Dunn and Manda May Rowell are still pending.

The matter was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, Omaha Police Department, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Council Bluffs Police Department, Harlan, Iowa Police Department and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Io

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A top aide to Gov. Kim Reynolds is working as an expert witness in a private property lawsuit, backing a family that is seeking millions of dollars from neighbors in a zoning dispute. The outside work by Department of Administrative Services Director Jim Kurtenbach is unusual for an agency leader. His testimony supporting a family seeking to develop an Ames campground over the objections of neighbors could give the appearance that the executive branch is taking sides in a local dispute.

Adding to the potential for a conflict is a misstatement about his state job on Kurtenbach’s résumé, which was filed in court last week. Kurtenbach wrote that his department is the “primary entity charged in the Code of Iowa with representing the State in legal matters,” which isn’t true. The attorney general’s office represents the state in legal matters.

A Reynolds spokesman said Kurtenbach had disclosed his work on the case before his appointment in June.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Cedar Rapids officials have announced construction of a new flood gate to protect part of downtown from Cedar River flooding. The Gazette reports that city leaders, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials and members of Iowa’s congressional delegation gathered Tuesday for a groundbreaking ceremony.

The 4-foot thick gate will be 14 feet tall and 67 feet long and will hide behind a flood wall when not in use. It can be rolled into place within minutes to protect the New Bohemia business district when the river rises. A contract to complete the $2.4 million gate was signed last week, and construction will likely begin later this year or next spring.

The city has been slowly assembling a $550 million flood control system since devastating floods ravaged Cedar Rapids in 2008.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have arrested another suspect in the 2017 shooting death of a man whose body was found in a Cedar Rapids alley. Cedar Rapids police said in a news release Wednesday that 42-year-old Lloyd Koger Jr. is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy and other crimes. He’s being held on $1 million bail. Linn County court records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for him.

Police say Koger and 19-year-old James Phillips killed 34-year-old Leland Harris, whose body was found Nov. 22, 2017. Phillips has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges and is scheduled to begin trial March 23.

Police in Glenwood report the arrest today (Wednesday), of 21-year old Alex Laurenroth. The Glenwood man was arrested for OWI/1st offense, with his cash/surety bond set at $1,000. He has since posted bond and was released. On Tuesday, 21-year old Conner Thompson, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Glenwood for Possession of a controlled substance 2nd offense and Possession of drug paraphernalia. He was taken into custody at the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office for Violation of Probation. His total bond on the charges amounts to $2,300.

Sheriff’s officials in Union County say a woman from Lorimor reported on Sept. 23rd, that sometime that morning someone entered her home and took two guns. This past Sunday, the same woman reported that the missing guns were a 30/30 Glenfield rifle, and a model 1895 GBL 45/70 rifle with scope. The guns are valued at $950.

CHICAGO (AP) — Prosecutors say an Iowa woman charged in a Chicago man’s slaying was furious that he’d refused to share a financial windfall with her. A Cook County judge denied bail Tuesday for 28-year-old Katara Channell, citing the evidence against her. The Davenport, Iowa, woman faces a first-degree murder charge in 38-year-old Kevin Tucker’s March killing.
Tucker was found fatally shot in the bathtub of a Chicago motel room he’d checked into with Channell, who was his long-running on-again, off-again girlfriend.

The Chicago Tribune reports that Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Jamie Santini says a witness told detectives that the day before the slaying Channell said she was furious that Tucker wouldn’t share a recent financial windfall and she planned to lure him to the motel, where a killer would be waiting.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports one of his officers was injured during a violent confrontation Tuesday night, following an attempt at around 9:30-p.m., to stop a bicycle being operated after dark with no lighting. The bicyclist — identified as 56-year old Kevin Duane Hoyt, of Clarinda — failed to obey the order to stop and fled from officers. Hoyt got-off of the bike and entered Ding’s Honk-n-Holler Liquor store at 900 East Washington Street.

A violent struggle occurred inside the business between Hoyt and the officers, and several thousand dollars of inventory was destroyed. One officer sustained injuries to his forehead and nose during the struggle and was taken to Clarinda Regional Health Center for treatment of his injuries. The officer was treated and released. The officer is expected to return to duty in two-three days.

Hoyt was charged with felony assault on a police officer, possession of methamphetamine, 4th degree destruction of property and interfering with official acts of a police officer. He was being held at the Page County Jail on $8,300 bail.