(NIT photo)
CEDAR RAPIDS — An armed Northern Iowa felon has been sentenced to federal prison after authorities say police found two loaded handguns tied to him during a Waterloo traffic stop, including one equipped with a device that allowed it to fire as a fully automatic weapon.
Oliver Lee Buls, 19, of Waterloo, was sentenced June 11, 2026, in federal court after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Buls entered his guilty plea on January 16, 2026.
Federal prosecutors said the case began in May 2025, when Waterloo police stopped a vehicle in which Buls was a passenger. Officers searched the vehicle after smelling marijuana, according to evidence presented at plea and sentencing hearings.
During the search, officers found a loaded Glock 9mm handgun under Buls’ seat. The gun was loaded with a high-capacity magazine.
Authorities also found a loaded Palmetto State Dagger 9mm handgun under the hood of the vehicle. That weapon also had a high-capacity magazine and was equipped with a machine-gun conversion device, commonly called a “switch.”
Federal authorities said the switch allowed the handgun to operate as a fully automatic firearm.
Investigators said Buls’ DNA was found on both guns.
Prosecutors also said Buls was part of a social media group, which included juveniles, where members posted videos of themselves handling or playing with guns.
At the time he possessed the weapons, Buls was already on probation after being convicted of felony interference with official acts with a firearm. His probation in that case was later revoked, according to federal authorities.
United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams sentenced Buls to 24 months in federal prison. Buls was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment and must serve three years of supervised release after his prison term.
There is no parole in the federal prison system.
Custody information shows Buls was in custody at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center as of July 16, 2025.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery. It was investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The sentencing adds to a growing list of federal gun cases in Iowa involving convicted felons, stolen or illegal firearms, high-capacity magazines and machine-gun conversion devices that can turn handguns into fully automatic weapons.