SIOUX CITY – A man who conspired to distribute cocaine and possessed firearms pled guilty January 25, 2018, in federal court in Sioux City.
Jovon Naylor, age 27 from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was convicted of conspiring to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and illegal possession of a firearm.
At the plea hearing, Naylor admitted to conspiring to distribute cocaine in the Fort Dodge area from January through September 2016. Naylor was involved in a number of controlled purchases of cocaine with law enforcement. Naylor also admitted that when he distributed cocaine, he possessed firearms during the drug deals. Drug dealers typically carry firearms for protection of their drugs and drug proceeds. Naylor further admitted to previously being convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon in the Iowa District Court for Webster County on April 13, 2012. Federal law prohibits persons previously convicted of a felony from possessing firearms.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Naylor remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Naylor faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, $300 in special assessments, and at least three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Mikala M. Steenholdt and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Fort Dodge Police Department, DCI Criminalistics Laboratory, and the Webster County Sheriff’s Office.
NAYLOR, JOVON:
