Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney's Office
Southern District of Iowa
For Immediate Release
Saturday, August 25, 2018
Marc Krickbaum
Contact: Rachel J. Scherle
Sentencings Completed in Nineteen-Defendant Des Moines Drug and Firearms Trafficking Case
DES MOINES, IA – On August 24, 2018, sentencings were completed in the federal prosecution of nineteen defendants charged with methamphetamine trafficking and firearms offenses, stemming from the investigation of a multi-state drug trafficking organization announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Investigation of the methamphetamine and firearms trafficking organization began in April 2017, following the arrest of Shannon Paxton, age 47, on a violation of his federal supervised release. While Paxton was in custody at the Polk County Jail, he utilized the jail phone system to continue to operate his organization, directing the sale of methamphetamine, storage and movement of firearms, and collection of drug proceeds. Paxton also maintained contact with Fidel Rios, Jr., age 35, his methamphetamine source of supply in Pasco, Washington. Rios and Paxton met while incarcerated together in federal prison – Paxton was incarcerated for a 2013 conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon, and Rios was incarcerated for a 2013 conviction for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
The investigation culminated in the execution of 25 federal search warrants in Iowa and Washington in June 2017. In total, the organization was responsible for the distribution of over 300 pounds of methamphetamine in the Southern District of Iowa between January and June 2017; and nearly forty firearms were seized as result of the investigation. All defendants charged pleaded guilty and all defendants were sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose, with the exception of Casey Lee Hildebrand, who was sentenced by United States District Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger.
- Shannon Lee Paxton, 47, of Des Moines, sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 390 months
- Fidel Rios, Jr., 35, of Pasco, Washington, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 306 months
- Stacy Lynn Comstock, 45, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 240 months
- Kerry Drew Haegele, 48, of Des Moines, sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 204 months
- Kira Leanne Fallis, 27, of Elkhart, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 144 months
- Misty Marie Langrehr, 24, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 120 months
- Steven Lee Hooper, 47, of Maxwell, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 151 months
- Kenneth Edward Williams, 54, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 204 months
- James Oren Phillips, 40, of Centerville, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 78 months
- John Thomas Archer, 53, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 72 months
- Charles Astley, 64, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 48 months
- Marti Rai Miller, 52, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 160 months
- Marty Lee Belew, 52, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 72 months
- Charles Garrett Nielsen, 54, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 144 months
- Cary Mark Hollingsworth, 41, of Grimes, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 114 months
- Richard Jason Martin, 42, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 132 months
- Kendall Edward Barrett, 39, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 72 months
- Christina Marie Wright, 31, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 120 months
- Casey Lee Hildebrand, 39, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 188 months
This investigation was conducted by the Des Moines Police Department, United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the significant assistance of numerous state and local agencies, including the Iowa State Patrol, Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, and the Central Iowa Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
###