DES MOINES – A Mason City man contended his lawyer didn’t get the job done in his guilty plea to bringing contraband to the county jail – but lost his appeal and will go back to prison.
Travis Trustin, age 20, filed an appeal in his guilty plea to introducing contraband to a correctional facility, a felony. He was sentenced in March to up to 5 years in prison and ordered to pay $643.94 in court costs and surcharges after the January 4, 2016 crime. On appeal, Trustin contended the district court (1) failed to advise him of a drug abuse resistance education (DARE) surcharge or a thirty-five percent surcharge and (2) failed to advise him that he had the right to use compulsory process in securing the attendance of witnesses.
Because Trustin failed to establish prejudice, the Iowa Court of Appeals affirmed Trustin’s judgment and sentence. He remains in the Cerro GOrdo county jail at this time, awaiting transport back to prison.