(NIT photo)
Dalton Lee Hagen, 28, of Cresco, was sentenced June 23, 2026, in federal court after previously pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Hagen (pictured at top) entered his guilty plea on October 6, 2025. Federal authorities said he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of multiple prior felony convictions.
According to information presented at sentencing, law enforcement officers were investigating a burglary in January 2025 when they learned Hagen was allegedly involved. Officers later searched his residence and found a firearm in the basement.
Federal prosecutors said Hagen had previously broken into a vehicle outside a Cresco business and stolen the gun.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Hagen to 96 months in federal prison. After serving his prison term, Hagen must also serve three years of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal prison system.
Hagen remains in the custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael S.A. Hudson. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cresco Police Department, the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office, the Howard County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa State Patrol.
Federal officials said the case was part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative focused on illegal immigration, cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and violent crime.
Hagen’s sentencing adds to a series of federal prosecutions in Iowa targeting convicted felons who illegally possess firearms, especially when stolen weapons are involved.