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Eight Iowa drug dealers who worked with 339 pounds of ice methamphetamine sent to prison

Federal courthouse, Northern District of Iowa in Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS – Eight Iowa residents have been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking charges.

At sentencing hearings in August, September, and October of 2017, Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Kyle Chyma, age 29, Edgar Hernandez, age 31, Kelbie Struve, age 25, Kailyn Struve, age 26, and Marlene Hernandez, age 25, all of Toledo, Iowa, Scott Steuhm, age 26, and Tyler Walz, age 23, both of Tama, Iowa, and Alejandra Castillo-Hernandez, age 46, of Marshalltown, Iowa, to prison time. The defendants received the following prison terms:

Edgar Hernandez was sentenced to 252 months’ imprisonment;

Kyle Chyma was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment;

Scott Steuhm was sentenced to 160 months’ imprisonment;

Kelbie Struve was sentenced to 94 months’ imprisonment;

Alejandra Castillo-Hernandez was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;

Kailyn Struve was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment;
Marlene Hernandez was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment; and

Tyler Walz was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment.

Each defendant must also serve a term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
In September 2016, a federal grand jury charged all eight defendants with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. At plea hearings in February and March of 2017, Chyma, Edgar Hernandez, Steuhm, Kelbie Struve, Kailyn Struve, Marlene Hernandez, and Alejandra Castillo-Hernandez admitted to trafficking in methamphetamine. Chyma, Kailyn Struve, and Walz admitted to trafficking in cocaine. Chyma also admitted to money laundering. The indictment contained a forfeiture allegation, and as part of their guilty pleas, the eight defendants agreed to forfeit $360,027.19 in drug proceeds.

At the sentencing hearings, Chief Judge Strand found that Edgar Hernandez and Scott Steuhm were responsible for distributing approximately 339 pounds of ice methamphetamine during the conspiracy. Edgar Hernandez and Kyle Chyma received sentencing enhancements for serving as leaders of the drug trafficking organization. Edgar Hernandez, Chyma, and Steuhm received sentencing enhancements for importing methamphetamine from Mexico.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ravi T. Narayan and investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with support from the Marshalltown Police Department, Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Tama County Sheriff’s Office, Cedar Rapids Police Department, Marion Police Department, Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa City Police Department, Johnson County Drug Task Force, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.

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