A man from southeast Iowa was sentenced Friday in Council Bluffs to 10-years in prison on methamphetamine conspiracy charges.31-year old Chandler Prather Robbins, IV, of Oskaloosa, received his sentence of 120 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The sentence will be served consecutively with 60 months in prison for possession of a firearm in relation to the drug trafficking offense. Robbins is also required to serve a five-year term of supervised release following incarceration. The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa says Robbins pled guilty on February 8th, 2013, to the charges of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area. 

Co-defendant Ray Allen Sutton, a 35 year-old resident ofCouncil Bluffs, was sentenced to 112 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Sutton is also required to serve a four-year term of supervised release following incarceration. Sutton pled guilty on January 10th, 2013, to the charges of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area. 

The convictions were the result of a joint law enforcement investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine from Omaha into Council Bluffs, with final distribution in central Iowa. Robbins and Sutton were arrested on June 9th, 2012, for transporting over 10 ounces of pure methamphetamine to be distributed in central Iowa. 

The investigation was conducted by the Iowa Division of Narcotic Enforcement, SouthWest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Mid Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Three Council Bluffs men have been sentenced to prison on drug charges. The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa says 28-year old Dennis Smith, 26-year old Nicholas Barnes, and 29-year old Gene Smith, all of Council Bluffs, received their sentences Friday in Council Bluffs by U-S District Court Judge James E. Gritzner. Smith was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and money laundering. He was also ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release following incarceration. Smith pled guilty on February 13^th, 2013, to charges of conspiring to distribute marijuana and money laundering in the Omaha andCouncil Bluffs areas.

Barnes was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute marijuana. The judge also ordered Barnes to serve a three-year term of supervised release following incarceration. Barnes pled guilty on February 8th, 2013, to a charge of conspiring to distribute marijuana in the Omaha and Council Bluffs areas. Gene Smith was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment for maintaining a drug involved premises. He was also ordered to serve a two-year term of supervised release following incarceration. Gene Smith pled guilty on February 8th, 2013, to a charge of maintaining a drug-involved premise in  Council Bluffs.

Co-defendant David L. Lopez, Jr., a 40 year-old resident of Omaha, was sentenced April 18th, 2013, to 48 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Lopez must also serve a three-year term of supervised release following incarceration. Lopez pled guilty on February 8, 2013, to a charge of conspiring to distribute marijuana in Omaha and Council Bluffs. Co-defendant Christopher Brandt, a 30 year-old resident of Council Bluffs, was sentenced March 8, 2013, to 36 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Brandt is also required to serve a four-year term of supervised release following incarceration. Brandt pled guilty on August 6, 2012, to a charge of conspiring to distribute marijuana in Omaha and Council Bluffs.

The convictions were the result of an investigation conducted by several law enforcement agencies into the importation and distribution of marijuana by a known drug trafficking group operating in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area from May of 2009, through March of 2012. The investigation was conducted by the Council Bluffs Police Department, the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Omaha Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotic Enforcement, the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The IRS’ Criminal Investigation Division also contributed to the money laundering part of the investigation. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

One person was seriously injured following a collision between a semi and a sprayer vehicle this (Monday) morning, in Shelby County. Sheriff’s officials say the accident occurred at the intersection of County Roads F-32 and M-16, about two-miles west of Westphalia, at around 8:40-a.m.

The accident happened when a Case 3330 Patriot sprayer owned by Farm Service Co-op in Defiance, and driven by 48-year old Mark Schmitz, of Westphalia, and  a 2001 Peterbilt semi owned by Two Pair Trucking in Westphalia, and driven by 39-year old Thomas Muenchrath, of Earling, collided. 

Officials say the sprayer was stopped at the intersection of F-32 and M-15 facing south, while the semi was traveling west on F-32. After the sprayer pulled into the path of the semi, the vehicles collided and came to rest on the southwest corner of the intersection. Schmitz was not injured, and was able to remove himself from the sprayer. Muenchrath was pinned in the tractor portion of the semi, and had to be extricated by rescue personnel.

He was flown from the scene by LifeNet helicopter to a hospital in Omaha. A report on his condition is not available. Medivac Ambulance, along with personnel from the Westphalia and Panama Fire Departments and Earling Rescue, assisted Shelby County authorities at the scene of the crash.

(12:40-p.m. News)

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports that his department has made an arrest in connection with the recent string of residential garage burglaries and theft of property from motor vehicles in Clarinda. Brothers said 31-year old Joshua Jay Martin, of Clarinda, was arrested Friday on a complaint alleging Martin was exercising control over stolen property, in an amount in excess of $1,000.00, but less than $10,000.00.

Martin was found to be in possession of a large amount of property stolen in recent reported garage and vehicle break-ins. A search was also executed at Martin’s apartment located at 901 W. Tarkio, where a significant amount of stolen property was found. Brother’s said two officers suffered minor injuries, when Martin allegedly resisted arrest. Both officers were able to immediately return to duty.

Martin was being held in the Page County Jail on a $5,000 cash only bond. Brothers says an investigation into the burglaries and thefts continues, and he anticipates additional charges will be filed against Martin, once the Page County Attorney’s Office reviews all reports.

The Clarinda Police Department was assisted in the arrest of Mr. Martin and the search of Mr. Martin’s apartment by deputies with the Page County Sheriff’s Department.

(12-p.m. News)

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported following a rollover accident Sunday morning, about 8-miles northwest of Malvern. Authorities say Chad Hancock, of Council Bluffs, was traveling north on 302nd Street sometime before 5-a.m., when his 2005 Ford truck went out of control. The vehicle ended up in the north ditch just south of Gaston Avenue. After it entered the ditch, the truck hit an embankment and rolled onto its top. The sheriff’s report did not indicate if any citations were issued.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Department reports three people were arrested over the past few days. On Sunday, 47-year old Christina Elizabeth Jennings, of Glenwood, was arrested for Possession of Prescription drugs without a valid prescription. She was booked into the Mills County Jail and held on $1,000 bond. And, on Friday, deputies in Mills County arrested 42-year old George Leroy Holmes, of Council Bluffs, on a Possession of a Controlled Suubstance/Marijuana, charge. Also arrested Friday, on a charge of OWI/1st offense, was 46-year old Jeffrey Gerald Neppl, of Glenwood. Bond for both men was set at $1,000 each.

A Council Bluffs man was arrested early Saturday morning after he crashed the motorcycle he was riding, while being pursued by law enforcement. Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker says 27-year old Richard Killough faces numerous citations, and was charged with eluding (an aggravated misdemeanor). Killough posted a $2,000 bond Saturday and was released from custody. Danker says the incident began when a sheriff’s deputy traveling eastbound on Highway 92 just after midnight, observed a motorcycle coming up behind him. He says the cycle was coming up fast on the deputy, doing about 78-mph in a 50-mph zone. The deputy tried to stop the motorcycle, but it took off at a high rate of speed. 

The Sheriff says he doesn’t know what was going through the man’s mind, but he has an idea. He says he was probably going so fast he was surprised by the deputy and figured after he passed, that he could outrun him. Danker says the cycle exceeded 140-miles per hour at times, and didn’t slow down much, when it passed through the communities of Treynor and Carson. He said it would periodically slow down and speed up. It passed through Treynor at about 120-miles per hour, and passed through Carson at 135-mph. The cycle then continued at speeds greater than 130-mph. 

The Sheriff said the results of the cycle passing through town at those speeds could have been disastrous. Three Cass County(Iowa) Sheriff’s Department deputies were waiting to intercept the cycle at the Cass/Pottawattamie County line. Seeing the sheriff’s lights off in the distance, Danker says Killough turned off onto a gravel road before losing control of the 2006 Honda CDR-600. He says the man turned north onto Cherrywood Roadand crashed about 150-yards north of Highway 92.

A Mills County Sheriff’s Deputy who tried to assist in the pursuit was injured, when the car he was driving enroute to the chase hit a deer and crashed into a ditch. 31-year old Deputy Joshua England, of Glenwood, was transported by Glenwood Rescue to Mercy Hospital for treatment of his injuries.

The Audubon Chamber of Commerce reports the Annual Audubon Flight Breakfast held Sunday morning served nearly 660 people. The Chamber sponsored event at the Audubon Airport was held from 6:30 until 10:30-a.m., with ham and cheese omelets, pancakes, coffee, juice and milk being served to 657 people. Officials say 23 planes flew-in to for the event. The weather was a little turbulent in the morning, but that didn’t stop the hungry pilots and others from making the trip to enjoy the good food and conversation. Pilots and their planes came from 17 communities in western, southwest and central Iowa, as well as the towns of Elk Horn, Millard and Omaha, in Nebraska, to partake in the free, Flight Breakfast.

The Chamber thanks all who attended and offered their services and support.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A monthly survey of business leaders suggests the economy in nine Midwest and Plains states will continue growing steadily over the next few months.  The overall economic index for the region declined slightly to 56.2 in May from April’s 56.8, but any score above 50 suggests growth.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey. He says the stronger dollar is hurting prices for farm and energy products, but that has only slowed the growth in those businesses.  The survey of business leaders and supply managers uses a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth while a score below that suggests decline.  

The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

w/ Ric Hanson

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