DES MOINES, Iowa — Officials with the U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa, today (Tuesday, October 26), announced twelve federal search warrants were executed at various locations in the Des Moines metropolitan area. The searches at these locations were an official law enforcement action involving officers,  agents, and investigators from the Des Moines Police Department; Federal Bureau of  Investigation; Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force; Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement  Task Force East; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; Iowa Division of Intelligence and  Fusion Center; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Iowa State Patrol; Iowa  State Patrol SWAT; West Des Moines Police Department; METRO Star; and SERT.

Authorities says there is no known danger to the public and there will be no further comment on the  actions taken, at this time.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans are paying over a dollar a gallon more for gasoline now than they were a year ago, and Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican, blames the Democrat in the White House. Grassley says he’s introduced a bipartisan bill to combat anti-competitive practices by foreign oil producers who control 82-percent of the world’s oil reserve, namely OPEC. “Gas prices have been at a seven-year high since Memorial Day and they keep going up,” Grassley says. “According to AAA, Americans must pay $17 more on average to fill up their vehicles compared last year.”

Grassley says, “Biden has made clear he’s not a friend of domestic oil producers,” while crude oil prices have doubled since the 2020 election. The president is “scrambling,” Grassley says, to bring relief to consumers, but is going about it the wrong way. “He should prioritize biofuels to reduce the cost at the pump,” Grassley says. “This would also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, he hasn’t taken the proper moves on biofuels to keep prices down.”

Grassley says the president pleaded with OPEC to reduce prices and to increase production and in Grassley’s words, OPEC told Biden to “go pound sand.” Grassley’s legislation is called NOPEC (NO-peck), which stands for the No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act. “I introduced a bipartisan bill that would allow the United States to sue OPEC and its partners for anti-trust violations that increase gas prices,” Grassley says. “When OPEC meets, that’s collusion to set world prices.”

Grassley says if the administration insists on limiting domestic oil production, the U-S should at least have the tools to hold OPEC accountable for anti-competitive products and conduct. Triple-A-Iowa reports gas prices in the state are averaging $3.15 a gallon, up from $2.02 a year ago. The national average is $3.38.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds, has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Wednesday, Oct. 27th, in honor and remembrance of Iowa State Patrol Trooper, Ted Benda. Trooper Benda died as a result of injuries he suffered during a single-vehicle accident while enroute to assist the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office with a wanted suspect. Benda’s funeral is being held at the Waukon High School at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

The Governor says she and her husband Kevin “Join with Iowans in mourning the loss of this dedicated servant and we keep his family, friends and fellow brothers and sisters in uniform in our thoughts and prayers as they cope with this devastating loss.”

Trooper Ted Benda ISP Badge #313

Flags will be at half-staff on the state Capitol Building, on flag displays in the Capitol Complex and on all public buildings, grounds and facilities throughout the state. Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions are encouraged to lower flags as a sign of respect.

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston report the arrest of a man on a Theft charge, Monday afternoon. Authorities say at around 1:40-p.m., 29-year-old Kevin Lee Davis, of Creston, was arrested at his residence, for Theft in the 5th Degree. Davis was cited and released at the scene, on a Promise to Appear in court.