CEDAR RAPIDS – April Tillman, 47, from Waterloo, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute heroin by a jury on July 24, 2013, after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
The evidence at trial showed that from between about January 2007 and August 2012, Tillman was involved in a conspiracy with others in the Waterloo area to distribute at least 1,000 grams of heroin. Tillman assisted the conspiracy by obtaining heroin from Chicago, Illinois, and distributing it in Waterloo.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade will be set for a future date. Tillman was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the verdict was returned and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Tillman faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, up tp a $20,000,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and was investigated by Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Cedar Rapids Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, Tri-County Drug Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Cedar Rapids DEA Task Force consists of the DEA; Linn County Sheriff’s Office; Cedar Rapids Police Department; Marion Police Department; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services. The Tri-County Drug Task Force consists of the Waterloo Police Department; Cedar Falls Police Department; Waverly Police Department; Bremer County Sheriff’s Office; Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office; LaPorte City Police Department; Evansdale Police Department; Hudson Police Department; and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
