Cedar Rapids man gets 14 years for fentanyl conspiracy
Jayson Throgmartin, 22, was sentenced to 14 years for distributing thousands of fentanyl pills between December 2023 and October 2024. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy and involved in trading fentanyl for a firearm. One user overdosed in January 2025 but recovered with Narcan. he will also serve four years of supervised release. The case was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Devra Hake with the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the OCDETF program.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cedar Rapids
Jayson William Throg
U.S
C.J. Williams
Throgmartin
Devra Hake
Iowa
Iowa man charged in fatal May vehicle crash in Linn County
Terry Wertz 66 of Parnell is charged with homicide by vehicle reckless driving and leaving the scene after a May 27 crash near Fairfax that killed William Leroy Tomson 70 of La Vista Nebraska. Tomson swerved, rolled his car, and died from crash injuries. Wertz fled the scene and was later arrested at home. He is jailed in Linn County on 35000 bond.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Iowa County
Linn County
Terry Wertz
Parnell
William Leroy Tomson
la Vista
Neb
Wertz
80Th Street
Fairfax
Tomson
Nebraska
Marion man jailed for possession of machine gun devices
Gentile Kahungu, 19, was sentenced in U S District Court to 108 months for possession of a machine gun conversion devices linked to firearms. Police found 18 devices, two connected to guns, during a June 2024 search, with additional devices found after his Oct 2024 arrest. He was an unlawful user of controlled substances at the time.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cedar Rapids
Marion
Gentile Kahungu
U.S
Kahungu
Marshalltown
C.J. Williams
Nicole Nagin
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Trish. Mehaffey
Thegazette
Des Moines Man Indicted in Eight Counts of Sex Trafficking
A Des Moines man, Marlin Santana Thomas Sr., 49, was indicted July 8 in Cedar Rapids on four counts of sex trafficking by force fraud and coercion and four counts of transportation for prostitution through coercion and enticement. The indictment covers 2009 to 2015 in the Northern District of Iowa and other locations, including Illinois and North Dakota. Victim restitution is mandatory, and the charges carry lengthy penalties. The FBI and Des Moines Police investigated. the FBI asks for information at the Omaha Field Office.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cedar Rapids
Des Moines
Iowa
Illinois
North Dakota
Marlin Santana Thomas Sr
Thomas
U.S. At
Torney
Emily Nydle
Slava Kuperstein
Civil Rights Division
FBI
Des Moines Police Department
Omaha
Nebraskan faces new federal charge after flight incident
A Nebraska man, Mario Nikprelaj, 23, already charged in Linn County with assault, disorderly conduct, first-degree harassment, unlawful possession of a prescription drug, and failure to affix a drug tax stamp, now faces a federal count for interference with flight crew. The Cedar Rapids incident followed an emergency landing after he allegedly tried to open the exit door and fought passengers and crew aboard a Detroit-bound flight from Omaha. He was arrested upon landing and held on a $10,000 bond. a federal first appearance was scheduled.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Nebraska
Iowa
Linn County
Mario Nikprelas
Omaha
Neb
Nikorelaj
Detroit
Nikorelas
Cedar Rapids
Nikprelaj
Linn
Marion man charged in Saturday stabbing
Edwin Rolando Ortiz Arequipa, 33, was arrested after stabbing Santos Cardenas Benegas in the left shoulder with a kitchen knife at a mobile home on Lindale Drive. Police say the attack was targeted. Ortiz Arequipa fled but was later captured. Bond information unavailable.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Marion
Edwin Rolando Ortiz- Arequipa
Santos Cardenas Benegas
Benegas
Lindale Drive
Ortiz-Arequipa
Also Mentioned on This Page
Ned
Trish Mehaffey
the Gazette
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force
U.S. Department of Justice
Emily Andersen
Emily.andersen
Marion Man
Edwin Rolando Ortiz
Arequipa
Collins Community Credit Union
Thegazette.com
Credit Union” Collins
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