A man from Alta, Iowa, has pleaded guilty in federal court to illegal possession of a firearm. Taxavier Ford, 29, entered his plea on August 11, 2025, in Sioux City.
Ford was convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He had previous convictions for possession of a narcotic drug in Indiana in 2017 and for possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and possession of a firearm by a felon in Buena Vista County, Iowa, in 2021. These prior convictions legally barred him from possessing any firearms.
During the plea hearing, evidence showed that on March 14, 2025, law enforcement officers stopped Ford’s vehicle in Storm Lake due to illegal window tint. Officers measured the tint and found it exceeded state limits. While checking the tint level, officers detected the smell of marijuana coming from the car. A search led to the discovery of a metal object in Ford’s waistband; he admitted it was a loaded firearm.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through cooperation between law enforcement agencies and communities. The Department of Justice launched an updated violent crime reduction strategy for PSN on May 26, 2021. This strategy emphasizes building trust within communities, supporting local organizations that prevent violence, focusing enforcement efforts strategically, and measuring outcomes.
Additionally, this prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), an initiative designed to use all available resources from the Department of Justice against illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime. The operation coordinates efforts among programs such as OCDETFs and PSN.
Sentencing will be scheduled after completion of a presentence report before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Ford remains free on bond pending sentencing and faces up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years supervised release following imprisonment.
