SIOUX CITY, IOWA — A Northern Iowa methamphetamine dealer who helped distribute more than 14 kilograms of the dangerous drug in the Fort Dodge area while possessing firearms and thousands of dollars in cash has been sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison.
William Rondell Lashawn Smith, 44, formerly of Fort Dodge and Des Moines and most recently living in Johnston, was sentenced Friday, October 30, 2026, in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to 152 months behind bars.
Smith had pleaded guilty April 21, 2026, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, three counts of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Federal prosecutors said Smith participated in a major methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy operating in the Fort Dodge area between January 2023 and February 2024.
During that period, the conspiracy distributed more than 14 kilograms of methamphetamine, an amount exceeding 30 pounds.
Investigators also documented three separate drug transactions in February 2024 in which Smith distributed a combined quantity of more than 2½ pounds of methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement.
One of those drug deals occurred within 1,000 feet of Meriwether Park in Fort Dodge.
The investigation eventually led officers to search two properties associated with Smith in February 2024.
Investigators seized cocaine, methamphetamine, more than $8,000 in cash, three firearms and drug distribution equipment, including two scales.
The presence of firearms alongside significant quantities of illegal drugs and cash added another dangerous element to the trafficking investigation.
The evidence presented during Smith’s guilty plea and sentencing hearings established his involvement in the methamphetamine conspiracy and the individual drug distribution offenses.
U.S. District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand handed down the 152-month prison sentence, equivalent to 12 years and eight months.
Smith was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after completing his prison term.
There is no parole in the federal prison system.
Smith remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde.
The investigation involved the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Laboratory, Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The case marks another federal prosecution involving substantial quantities of methamphetamine distributed in Northern Iowa, with authorities using coordinated investigations to target trafficking networks operating across the region.