A New Mexico man was sentenced on July 22 to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of ammunition by a felon. Chase Smith Walker, age 41, from Carlsbad, New Mexico, received the sentence following his March 9 guilty plea in Cedar Rapids federal court.
According to court documents, Walker admitted that on October 6, 2023, at approximately 1:40 a.m., he was driving while intoxicated in Tama County, Iowa. During a traffic stop and subsequent booking at the local jail, Walker was described as extremely defiant and disrespectful towards officers. Officers searched his truck after the arrest and located over 640 rounds of ammunition. Because Walker had previously been convicted of a drug-trafficking felony, he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Walker to 24 months’ imprisonment and imposed a $1,500 fine. After completing his prison term, Walker must serve a two-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. He is currently being held in United States Marshal’s custody until transportation to federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Meskwaki Nation Police Department.
The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa prosecutes federal crimes—including cases like this one—manages civil litigation for the U.S. government and collects federal debts across its jurisdiction covering more than 25,120 square miles over 52 counties with a staff that includes more than 20 assistant U.S. attorneys among its leadership team, according to the official website.