An Iowa City resident, Janard Fitzgerald Goins, 34, has been sentenced to 108 months in federal prison after being convicted of drug and firearm charges. Authorities executed a search warrant at Goins’ home in January 2024 and discovered methamphetamine, crack cocaine, marijuana, $5,877 in cash, and a Glock 17 9mm handgun. Photographs on Goins’ phone showed him with the firearm as well as evidence of drug trafficking activity. Goins also has a previous felony conviction from Illinois.
Following his prison sentence, Goins will be subject to three years of supervised release. Federal law does not allow parole.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal for the Southern District of Iowa announced the sentencing and credited the Iowa City Police Department for its investigation.
“This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN,” according to officials.
Project Safe Neighborhoods is a national initiative that coordinates law enforcement efforts at different levels with community organizations to reduce gun-related crimes (https://www.justice.gov/psn).
