Illinois man caught in Northern Iowa with illegal gun sent to federal prison

SIOUX CITY – An Illinois man has been sent to federal prison for illegally possessing a gun in Humboldt.

Marcus Fair, 28, from Dolton, Illinois, was sentenced on March 12, 2025, to 57 months’ imprisonment for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Evidence showed that on September 21, 2022, law enforcement responded to a Humboldt, Iowa, residence for a report of domestic disturbance and animal cruelty involving Fair and others. After conducting interviews, law enforcement learned there was a discarded backpack in a nearby woods. Officers located the backpack and found items that belonged to Fair, including a loaded Taurus G3C 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, an extended magazine, and marijuana. As a user of marijuana, Fair was prohibited from possessing firearms.

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Fair was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment and must serve a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Fair remains in custody of the United States Marshal Service until he can be transported to a federal prison.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Humboldt Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.