Miguel Lopez, a 31-year-old from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty on March 24 in federal court in Sioux City to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
Lopez admitted during the plea hearing that he possessed a 9mm pistol on August 7, 2025. Law enforcement found the firearm after observing Lopez discard it outside his car window during a traffic stop. Because Lopez has four prior drug-related felony convictions, he is barred from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Sentencing will be scheduled before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand after preparation of a presentence report. Lopez remains in custody of the United States Marshal while awaiting sentencing. He faces up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case falls under Operation Take Back America, which is described as “a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.”
