Spencer Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a Firearm

A man who was prohibited from possessing a firearm pled guilty August 29, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City.

Casey Tuttle, 26, from Spencer, Iowa, was convicted of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Tuttle was previously convicted in the Iowa District Court of burglary, third degree; possession of methamphetamine, third or subsequent offense; and burglary, second degree. Each of these are felony convictions which prohibited Tuttle from possessing any firearm or ammunition.

At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on April 4, 2024, Spencer Police Department officers stopped Tuttle riding his bike in the dark without taillights or reflectors. It was then determined that Tuttle had outstanding arrest warrants, so he was placed under arrest. During a search of Tuttle at arrest, law enforcement located .22 ammunition, 1 gram of marijuana, multiple knives, 1 gram of methamphetamine, a German .22 caliber revolver, a methamphetamine pipe, scale, and pills. Tuttle admitted being a drug user and possessing the firearm which he obtained in exchange for methamphetamine.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Tuttle remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Tuttle faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Spencer, Iowa Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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

The case file number is 24-4032. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.