“Getaway team” of violent man who shot Iowa police officer punished for helping him escape

Members of the Jamal Dean Getaway Team (made up of Jamal Dean’s friends, family, and fellow gang members) were sentenced today in federal court for their roles in obstructing a joint state-federal investigation and search for Jamal Dean in April and May of 2013.

Lee Dean, age 55 (Jamal Dean’s father), Kimberly Smith, age 50 (Jamal Dean’s aunt), all of Sioux City, Iowa and Ingmar Hernandez, age 26 (an F-13 gang member), of South Sioux City, Nebraska, received the sentences after guilty pleas to conspiring to defraud the United States by interfering with the federal investigation of and search for Jamal Dean. Steffen Dean, age 53 (Jamal Dean’s cousin) received his sentence after his guilty plea to knowingly making a false statement to a federal law enforcement officer.

Evidence at the Jamal Dean sentencing, and from the change of plea and sentencing hearings of the Getaway Team, revealed the following:

On April 15, 2013, Jamal Dean, Levon Dean (Jamal Dean’s brother and fellow gang member) and Sarah Berg traveled from South Sioux City, Nebraska, to Sioux City, Iowa where they beat and robbed at gun point a small-time drug-dealer, inside a room at a Sioux City motel. They left with the drug-dealer’s car, methamphetamine, cash and other items.

On April 24, 2013, Jamal and Levon Dean again traveled from Nebraska to Iowa and beat and robbed at gun point a larger drug-dealer, inside his Sioux City, Iowa, home, and left with the drug-dealer’s two cars, methamphetamine, cash and other items. After this attack, the assailants retreated to Nebraska taking one of the stolen cars and a female victim against her will with them.

On April 29, 2013, Jamal Dean, in an attempt to escape being arrested for these crimes, fired eight rounds at Sioux City, Iowa, Police Officer Kevin McCormick, striking him once in the head with a bullet. Jamal Dean, with the help of a getaway team, avoided arrest until May 5, 2013, when he was arrested by officers of the Texas Department of Public Safety just 70 miles from Mexico in a car heading south.

Moments after he shot Officer McCormick, Jamal Dean called Ingmar Hernandez (an F-13 gang member) and Lee Dean (Jamal Dean’s father) and requested help.

Lee Dean answered Jamal Dean’s call first. Lee Dean picked up Jamal Dean from the backyard of a home on West Second Street in Sioux City, Iowa, which was approximately four blocks from the scene of the shooting. While Lee Dean and Jamal were in the same vehicle, Lee Dean’s cousin, Steffen Dean, called Lee Dean and told him that Jamal Dean had just committed a serious crime and that Lee Dean should bring Jamal to Steffen Dean’s home, which he shared with Kimberly Smith.

Once at the Dean-Smith residence, Lee Dean, Steffen Dean and Kimberly Smith became fully aware of the fact that Jamal had shot a Sioux City police officer and that Jamal Dean was being sought by Deputy United States Marshals.

Jamal Dean called Ingmar Hernandez and requested a ride to South Sioux City, Nebraska. Ingmar Hernandez asked Monica Rocha-Contreras (a Facebook friend of both Hernandez and Jamal Dean) to help him pick up a “friend” (that is, Jamal Dean) in Sioux City, Iowa. She agreed. At around 10:00 p.m. on April 29, 2013, Ingmar Hernandez and Monica Rocha-Contreras picked up Jamal Dean at Steffen Dean’s, and transported him through Sioux City, Iowa to South Sioux City, Nebraska. Monica Rocha-Contreras dropped Jamal Dean and Ingmar Hernandez off in the area of Ingmar Hernandez’s home. Hernandez and Dean then walked to Ingmar Hernandez’s home, which had already been searched by law enforcement, and Hernandez hid Jamal Dean in the basement overnight. Hernandez also provided methamphetamine to and smoked methamphetamine with Jamal Dean.

On April 30, 2013, Evette Morris-Hernandez (the highest ranking female member of F-13 at the time) and Ingmar Hernandez arranged for the transportation of Jamal Dean from Ingmar Hernandez’s home to Anna Baker’s home on the Winnebago Reservation in Winnebago, Nebraska. Evette Morris-Hernandez and Esteban Hernandez (her husband at the time) transported Jamal Dean to Anna Baker’s home and, together, they hid Jamal Dean at the residence for the next three or four days.

While Jamal Dean hid at Anna Baker’s residence, Anna Baker, Evette Morris-Hernandez, Esteban Hernandez, Ingmar Hernandez, and Jamal Dean discussed the shooting, the joint state and federal investigation, and what Jamal Dean’s next step should be. On or about May 2, 2013, the confederates arranged for the transportation of Jamal Dean from Anna Baker’s home to the Palmer House Motel on Gordon Drive in Sioux City, Iowa. The Palmer House was selected because the conspirators believed that the hotel did not have extensive video surveillance. Evette Morris Hernandez and Esteban Hernandez provided Jamal Dean with an iPod with texting capability for use in keeping touch with other members of the conspiracy.

From about May 3, 2013, to about May 5, 2013, Evette Morris-Hernandez and Esteban Hernandez transported Jamal Dean to Texas. On May 5, 2013, a Texas state trooper stopped a 1999 Dodge Durango sport utility vehicle within 70 miles of Mexico, with Evette Morris-Hernandez, Esteban Hernandez, Jamal Dean, and two children inside the vehicle.

The obstructive conduct continued after Jamal Dean’s capture. Anna Baker, Lee Dean, Steffen Dean, Kimberly Smith, Monica Rocha-Contreras and Evette Morris-Hernandez all made material false statements to federal authorities. Similarly, Anna Baker and Monica Rocha-Contreras deleted the contents of their mobile phones and Esteban Hernandez deleted the contents of an iPod he and Evette Morris-Hernandez had lent Jamal Dean during the conspiracy.

Lee Dean, Steffen Dean, Kimberly Smith, and Ingmar Hernandez, were sentenced today in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett. Lee Dean was sentenced to three years of probation with the condition that he serve fifteen consecutive weekends in jail. A special assessment of $100 was imposed.

Steffen Dean was sentenced to 1 year probation. A special assessment of $100 was imposed.

Kimberly Smith was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Evette Morris Hernandez sentencing hearing was continued and will be set for a later date.

Ingmar Hernandez was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Esteban Hernandez is scheduled to be sentenced on for September 14, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett.

Anna Baker was sentenced on June 22, 2015 in Sioux City by United States Magistrate Judge Leonard Strand. Anna Baker was sentenced to 4 months’ imprisonment and fined $25. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. She must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Monica Rocha-Contreras was sentenced on a related state offense on March 17, 2015, in Iowa State Court. Monica Rocha-Contreras was sentenced to 15 days in the Woodbury County Jail, fined a suspended fine of $625.00. She must also serve a one-year term of supervised release (with conditions).

“Battling violent crime is a top priority of this office and the Department of Justice,” said Mr. Techau. “These convictions send a firm message to anyone that would help a violent fugitive avoid justice. We will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our law enforcement partners at the federal, state and local levels to help ensure the safety and security of our communities.”

Chief Doug Young from the Sioux City Police Department said, “This case would not have been successful without the inter-agency cooperation of the United States Marshal’s Service, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, the Iowa State Division of Criminal Investigations and Intel Office, and our local city and county law enforcement from Iowa and Nebraska. The Sioux City Police Department would like to especially commend and send our gratitude to the United States Attorney’s Office for undertaking the prosecution of these individuals who harbored and assisted Jamal Dean in his attempted flight from justice. The collaboration and cooperation of all participating agencies is a true testament to the underlying spirit that defines Siouxland.”

Deputy United States Marshal Chad McCormick said, “This case is a perfect example of how cooperation between local, state and federal authorities resulted in the arrest of a serious threat to the public. The prosecution of those who assisted Jamal Dean sends a strong message that if someone assists a fugitive, they are likely to be prosecuted”.

Ingmar Hernandez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.