A Waterloo man with two previous felony convictions has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm. Jimarus Westley Puckett, 38, pleaded guilty on May 28, 2025, to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
The incident occurred on July 23, 2023, when police officers stopped a car in Waterloo, Iowa. Puckett was riding as a passenger. During a search of the vehicle, officers discovered a rifle equipped with a large capacity magazine in the back seat. Due to his prior felony convictions and a misdemeanor conviction for domestic violence, Puckett was barred from owning or possessing firearms.
United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams sentenced Puckett in Cedar Rapids to 72 months’ imprisonment and ordered him to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to the press release: “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.”
Puckett will remain in custody of the United States Marshals Service until he is transported to federal prison.
The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep. The investigation involved cooperation between the Waterloo Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
