CEDAR RAPIDS – A Waterloo man who was part of a conspiracy to rob two victims at gunpoint was sentenced July 25, 2022, to more than 12 years in federal prison.
Chavee E’Laun Harden, age 32, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 18, 2021 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery.
Evidence at trial showed that, on November 4, 2020, Harden, Antione Maxwell (who was sentenced on July 25, 2022, to 30 years in prison), and another individual conspired with each other to rob Harden’s marijuana dealers at gun point of marijuana products and drug-related proceeds. Harden facilitated the armed robbery, and Maxwell and the other individual held guns to the victims’ heads and threatened to kill them. The marijuana products, money, and firearms were later located either inside or outside of Harden’s residence.
Harden was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Harden was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Harden 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 Attorneys Patrick Reinert and Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.