Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
Conrad Lyons, a 36-year-old man from Sioux City, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. This follows his guilty plea on August 26, 2024, to charges of possession of a firearm by a felon and receipt and possession of an unregistered National Firearms Destructive Device, specifically a sawed-off shotgun.
The case against Lyons began with an incident on March 23, 2024. At around 1:00 a.m., law enforcement responded to reports of an altercation at an apartment in Sioux City involving Lyons and others. The altercation reportedly involved a large machete-style knife and the presence of a "sawed-off shotgun." Upon arrival, police encountered an individual outside the apartment who confirmed the altercation but noted that those inside were unwilling to cooperate.
Later that day at approximately 8:22 p.m., officers observed Lyons with two other individuals walking in Sioux City. As police approached, Lyons dropped a black backpack and moved into the street while another person attempted to dispose of a machete into a storm drain. Police retrieved the machete and discovered through the open zipper of the backpack what appeared to be parts of a sawed-off shotgun.
Lyons' criminal history includes violent offenses such as assaulting officers and using dangerous weapons. His record shows previous convictions for assaulting, resisting or impeding an officer; assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian Country; and assault by striking, beating, and wounding—all adjudicated in Nebraska's United States District Court.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Lyons in Sioux City to 120 months' imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole option available within the federal system.
This prosecution was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at reducing violent crime through collaborative efforts among various stakeholders. PSN targets enforcement on violent offenders while partnering with local prevention programs for sustainable crime reduction.
Lyons remains in custody under the United States Marshal's care until he is transferred to federal prison. The investigation was conducted by the Sioux City Police Department with prosecution led by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
