DOJ Seal

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office
Northern District of Iowa

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Kevin W. Techau
, United States Attorney
Contact: Peter Deegan

Ten-Time Drug Felon Involved in Stand-Off with U.S. Marshals Sent to Federal Prison for Over Thirty Years

A man who was arrested after a six-hour stand-off with the U.S. Marshal’s Service was sentenced on October 20, 2014 on his tenth felony drug conviction to more than 30 years in federal prison.

Brandon Thompson, 44, from Iowa City, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 16, 2014 guilty plea to possession with intent to deliver 500 grams or more of methamphetamine after a prior felony drug offense.

At the guilty plea, Thompson admitted he possessed the methamphetamine and intended to distribute it to another person. Information disclosed at the plea and sentencing hearings indicates that Thompson was arrested in North English, Iowa, in March 2013, in a vehicle that contained pounds of nearly 100-percent pure methamphetamine, almost $10,000 in cash, and a stun-gun that was disguised as a cellular phone.

Thompson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. Thompson was sentenced to 380 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Thompson’s sentence was increased based on his extensive criminal history, which included nine prior felony drug convictions, along with convictions for burglary, being armed with a dangerous concealed weapon, theft, eluding, and others. Chief Judge Reade also discussed Thompson’s history of escaping from custody, the most recent of which ended with a six-hour long standoff with the U.S. Marshal’s Service and other law enforcement agencies at an Iowa City area motel on March 25, 2014. Thompson refused to surrender and was forced out of the motel room with tear gas.

Thompson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Lightfoot and investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; the Iowa City Police Department; the Clinton Police Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services; and the Iowa National Guard. The DEA Task Force was assisted by the United States Marshal’s Service.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 14-CR-12.

Kansas City Field Division