Thrice convicted drug felon participated in conspiracy that distributed more than five pounds of meth
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty on Aug. 21, 2018, in federal court in Sioux City.
Lee Charles Mercer, 42, from Galva, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Mercer was previously convicted of three separate felony drug offenses in the Iowa District Court in 2013, 2004 and 1998.
At the plea hearing, Mercer admitted that from November 2017 through March 2018, he was involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than 2500 grams of methamphetamine mixture in and around Galva, Iowa. On March 12, 2018, Mercer was stopped for a traffic violation in Woodbury County, Iowa. During law enforcement’s consent to search Mercer’s vehicle, approximately 4 ounces of methamphetamine was seized in four separate baggies, along with $5,000 in cash. Mercer admitted he planned to distribute the methamphetamine to other persons. Mercer further admitted that he planned to use the $5,000 to purchase a pound of methamphetamine later in Sioux City, Iowa.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Mercer remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Mercer faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, Sioux City Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-4018.
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Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
