DIKE – A Waterloo man with prior Iowa driving convictions is facing felony drug charges after a Grundy County traffic stop allegedly turned up marijuana and other drug-related evidence.
According to the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy stopped a vehicle on Highway 20 at the 217 mile marker near Dike on March 5, 2026, for speeding.
A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the arrest of Gabriel Charles Gekpoah, 24, of Waterloo.
Authorities said Gekpoah was charged with possession with intent to deliver marijuana, a Class D felony; failure to affix a drug tax stamp, a Class D felony; possession of a controlled substance, a serious misdemeanor; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor.
Court records show the case was filed in Grundy County as State of Iowa vs. Gabriel Gekpoah (pictured at top). The listed charges include controlled substance violation, a Class D felony; failure to affix a drug stamp, a Class D felony; and possession of controlled substance – marijuana, first offense, a serious misdemeanor.
No disposition has been entered in the Grundy County case, meaning the charges remain pending. Gekpoah is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Court filings show criminal complaints were filed March 6, 2026, after the stop. Gekpoah’s initial appearance was also scheduled that day, with bail set at $10,000 cash or surety. A surety bond was posted March 10, 2026.
Trial information and minutes of testimony were filed April 15, 2026. Court records show an arraignment was continued, with the new arraignment date set for May 18, 2026, at 10 a.m.
The new case comes after prior Iowa convictions involving Gekpoah and illegal driving.
In Black Hawk County, court records show Gekpoah was charged with driving while barred, an aggravated misdemeanor, with an offense date of November 18, 2023. He pleaded guilty on February 9, 2024, to driving while barred.
In Benton County, Gekpoah was again charged with driving while barred, an aggravated misdemeanor, with an offense date of May 5, 2024. Court records show he later pleaded guilty through a negotiated or voluntary plea to no valid driver’s license, a scheduled violation, on November 8, 2024.
That Benton County case left Gekpoah owing $459 to Iowa courts, including a $260 fine, $160 in court costs and a $39 surcharge.
The Grundy County case remains active.