CEDAR RAPIDS – An Iowa man who distributed more than 17 pounds of ice methamphetamine in the Waterloo area was sentenced on March 7, 2018, to more than ten years in federal prison.
Justin Lee Branon, age 35, from Clemons, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 1, 2018 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Evidence during the case established that Branon received meth in pound or multiple pound quantities and distributed it throughout the Waterloo area.
Branon was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Branon was sentenced to 126 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Branon is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of Federal Bureau of Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force (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), Mid Iowa Drug Task Force (Marshalltown Police Department; Marshall County Sheriff’s Office; Tama County), and Dubuque Drug Task Force (Dubuque Police Department; Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office).
Make a big deal of sentencing one dealer to prison, when how many others are out there still selling. It’s like the Coast Guard when they catch smugglers with 500 lbs. of grass and send out massive press releases of what they have accomplished. How many did they miss? How many were paid to look the other way when the smugglers came by? Don’t get me wrong. I am sure that 500 lbs. is going to make a substantial difference in the amount of drugs getting into this country. If they need help, I am sure we could send them some of our NIVC people.
You make it sound like this POS is small fry. Who knows how many lives those 17# ruined. Just kill the SOB.
Hang him