Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
A Sioux City man has admitted to charges related to illegal possession of firearms and methamphetamine. Felipe Alcaraz, Jr., aged 35, entered a guilty plea on January 21, 2025, in a federal court in Sioux City. He was convicted of three counts of possessing a firearm as a prohibited person and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. His previous convictions for eluding law enforcement and controlled substance offenses bar him from legally owning firearms.
During the plea hearing, Alcaraz acknowledged evading police during attempted traffic stops by driving recklessly at high speeds. Law enforcement discovered firearms and ammunition in his possession during two such stops and drugs on another occasion. Among the seized firearms, one was reported stolen while another had an altered serial number. Alcaraz also confessed to possessing at least 350 grams of methamphetamine intended for distribution within the Sioux City area.
The sentencing will be scheduled following the preparation of a presentence report by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Alcaraz is currently held by the United States Marshal awaiting sentencing. For each firearm charge, he could face up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release post-imprisonment. The methamphetamine charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years imprisonment with a potential maximum sentence of 40 years, alongside a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release after any incarceration.
