Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Ely Man Pleads Guilty to Being an Eight-Time Felon and Unlawful Drug User in Possession of a Firearm
A man who unlawfully possessed a shotgun pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Matthew Robbins, age 42, from Ely, Iowa, was convicted of one count of being a felon and unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm.
In a plea agreement, Robbins admitted that in 2014 he was an unlawful user of controlled substances, including methamphetamine, and had been convicted of eight felony offenses, namely:
- Conspiracy to Commit Robbery in the Second Degree (Sept. 6, 1991);
- Burglary in the Third Degree (Feb. 10, 1995);
- Dominion and Control of a Firearm as a Felon (Feb. 10, 1995);
- Operating While Intoxicated, Third Offense (Mar. 1, 1995);
- Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Dec. 4, 1998);
- Operating While Intoxicated, Third Offense (Aug. 29, 2007);
- Attempt to Elude (Aug. 29, 2007); and
- Operating While Intoxicated, Third Offense (April 4, 2013).
Robbins admitted that, in about the Spring of 2014, he took possession of an Iver Johnson, 12 gauge shotgun. The shotgun had been left at Robbin’s residence near Ely, Iowa, located in the Northern District of Iowa, by another person. Robbins later had a friend store the shotgun at the friend’s residence for safekeeping.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Robbins remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Robbins will be sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment, unless he is determined to be an Armed Career Criminal based on his criminal history. If he is an Armed Career Criminal, Robbins will be sentenced to fifteen years’ imprisonment. Robbins also faces a possible maximum fine of $250,000, $100 in special assessments, and up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney C.J. Williams and Special Assistant United States Attorney Erin Eldridge. The case was investigated by the Marion Police Department, Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 14-CR-129-MWB.
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