Daniel Thomas Coldewey, 33, of Council Bluffs was sentenced on July 21 to 16 years in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl, according to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing.
Coldewey distributed counterfeit pills containing fentanyl in the Council Bluffs area over a period of nearly five years. On April 14, 2025, he sold twelve pills containing fentanyl to Victim #1. After using one pill in a business parking lot where the transaction took place, Victim #1 collapsed. A concerned citizen administered CPR and called emergency services, who were able to revive the victim.
After serving his prison sentence, Coldewey will be required to complete a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole available in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement regarding Coldewey’s sentencing. The Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force investigated the case.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa supports victims and witnesses through its services unit and operates under the United States Department of Justice with facilities located in Des Moines as well as courthouses in Davenport and Council Bluffs; it has 24 prosecutors handling civil and criminal cases throughout the district, according to the official website.