Three Fort Dodge men plead guilty to gun and meth charges

FORT DODGE – Three Fort Dodge men who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and illegally possessed stolen guns pled guilty in federal court in Sioux City.

Marcus Swan, 29, pled guilty December 31, 2019, Lucas Osborne, 30, pled guilty August 20, 2019, and Kenneth Petersen, 41, pled guilty on September 10, 2019. Each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of stolen firearms.

At their respective plea hearings, each admitted to distributing at least 100 grams of pure methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge, area from October 2018 through February 2019. Evidence also showed that together they possessed five guns that had been stolen during a burglary in Kossuth County, Iowa. Swan and Petersen were also prohibited from possessing guns based on their prior felony convictions. Osborne was an unlawful user of methamphetamine and prohibited from possessing guns.

Sentencings before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand for Osborne and Petersen have been set for January 28, 2020. Sentencing for Swan will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Each remain in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mikala Steenholdt and was investigated by the Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.