SIOUX CITY – A Northern Iowa man who conspired to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine while living a block away from a middle school pled guilty on March 9, 2018, in federal court in Sioux City.
Mark Jenkins, 51, from Sanborn, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
In a plea agreement, Jenkins admitted that from 2015 through January 10, 2018, he was involved in the distribution of multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine while residing less than a block away from a public middle school. Jenkins admitted to transporting up to five-pound quantities of methamphetamine at a time from a source in Omaha, Nebraska. Jenkins admitted to selling numerous firearms in the past and keeping as much as $100,000 stashed away. At the time of his arrest, Jenkins and a co-conspirator were found in possession of approximately 177.89 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Jenkins remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Jenkins faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The arrest and prosecution of Jenkins was the result of a long-term investigation spanning over three years and involved extensive cooperation between various law enforcement agencies. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Ajay Alexander and was investigated by the Iowa Great Lakes Drug Task Force, assisted by the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office, Sheldon Police Department, Sanborn Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa Department of Public Safety, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the DEA Tri-State Drug Task Force.
