A Cedar Rapids man has been sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl near an elementary school. D’quon Morrow, 27, pleaded guilty on March 28, 2025, to one count of distributing at least 40 grams of fentanyl near a protected location.
According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Morrow conspired with others between February and July 2024 to distribute fentanyl and cocaine in Cedar Rapids. In March 2024, he distributed 6.50 grams of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl. The following month, he sold a firearm despite having a felony conviction for eluding. In May 2024, he distributed an additional 20.75 grams of fentanyl. In June 2024, Morrow distributed 48.60 grams of fentanyl near Madison Elementary School. Law enforcement searched his residence in July 2024 and found two firearms, ammunition, and over 1,000 fentanyl pills.
Morrow was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams to 135 months in prison followed by eight years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. He will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal until transferred to a federal prison.
Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake prosecuted the case, which was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program through collaboration among several agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Cedar Rapids Police Department; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; and Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center.
The prosecution is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that coordinates law enforcement efforts with communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence nationwide. According to the Department of Justice’s strategy launched on May 26, 2021, PSN focuses on fostering community trust, supporting organizations that prevent violence before it starts, prioritizing strategic enforcement actions, and measuring results.
Additionally, this case falls under Operation Take Back America—a national initiative that directs resources from OCDETFs and PSN to address illegal immigration issues and eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime.
