Fort Dodge Man Guilty of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

Craig Carnell Pickens, age 41, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

At the plea hearing, evidence showed, law enforcement stopped a vehicle for an equipment violation. Upon contacting the driver, law enforcement noticed an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and asked the driver and Pickens, who was the passenger, to exit the vehicle. Both occupants initially refused to exit. Pickens eventually produced a glass jar of marijuana and a marijuana blunt from a backpack that was at his feet and provided it to law enforcement through the sunroof of the vehicle. After numerous requests by law enforcement, Pickens eventually exited the vehicle and was arrested. A search of the vehicle discovered multiple bags of methamphetamine totaling approximately 180 grams. Methamphetamine was found in the backpack that was at Pickens' feet as well as drug paraphernalia.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Pickens remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Pickens faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and 5 years to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case was investigated by the Garner Police Department and State of Iowa Department of Public Safety, Division of Narcotics Enforcement and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

The case file number is 24-CR-3032.

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