A federal felon from Iowa has been convicted by a jury for distributing fentanyl and heroin that resulted in two overdose deaths in 2023. Cody Kinzie Dittmar, 34, originally from Dubuque but residing in Cedar Rapids at the time of the offenses, was found guilty on June 25, 2025, after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Dittmar was charged with distributing and conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl leading to two fatalities. The jury returned its verdict following approximately two hours of deliberation.
Court documents reveal that Dittmar had previously served 64 months in federal prison due to a 2017 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence presented at the trial indicated that he was released on supervised release in June 2023. Shortly thereafter, he began selling heroin and fentanyl with his then-girlfriend Alysha (Gould) Dittmar. On July 1, 2023, they sold a mixture containing heroin, fentanyl, and xylazine to a customer in Marion, Iowa. Both the customer and his wife used the drugs and subsequently died of overdoses. The couple continued their drug sales activities until July 2024. Alysha Dittmar had previously pled guilty to distribution charges resulting from these deaths.
Sentencing will occur before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams once a presentence report is completed. Dittmar remains under custody pending sentencing and faces mandatory minimum sentences of 20 years’ imprisonment for each count along with potential maximum penalties including life imprisonment, $2 million fines, and lifetime supervised release.
The case was investigated by multiple law enforcement agencies including the Marion Police Department and DEA Task Force which comprises various local enforcement bodies such as the Linn County Sheriff’s Office; Cedar Rapids Police Department; Marion Police Department; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; alongside prosecution by Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Nagin and Dan Chatham.
