A man who started a fire in his home while cooking methamphetamine was sentenced on April 1, 2014, to more than fourteen years in federal prison.
Christopher Mayne, 34, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a Dec. 18, 2013, guilty plea to one count of possession of pseudoephedrine knowing or having reasonable cause to believe it would be used to manufacture methamphetamine.
According to information disclosed during the prosecution, during a March 23, 2013, traffic stop, police seized 180 pills of pseudoephedrine from Mayne as well as items used to manufacture methamphetamine. At the time of the traffic stop, police were investigating Mayne in connection with a fire at his residence on December 4, 2012. The fire started in Mayne’s basement, where he was manufacturing methamphetamine, and spread to other areas of the house. Three minor children were present in the home at the time of the fire. The fire ultimately consumed the entire home.
Mayne was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. Mayne was sentenced to 169 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Mayne is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, the Dubuque Police Department and the Dubuque Fire Department.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 13-CR-1017.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
