Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
An Iowa man, Ian Jon Duffy, has been sentenced to over seven years in federal prison for illegal possession of multiple firearms, including a sawed-off shotgun. The 35-year-old from Independence, Iowa, pleaded guilty on October 10, 2024, to two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and one count of possession of a national firearms destructive device not registered to the possessor.
The incident leading to his arrest occurred in October 2023 when law enforcement officers stopped Duffy due to concerns about his wellbeing. At that time, he was found with multiple loaded firearms. Despite having a prior domestic conviction that prohibited him from possessing firearms, Duffy later had his wife obtain a Glock firearm for him and continued to possess several firearms at his residence. Among these was a sawed-off shotgun which he had altered by changing the grip.
United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams sentenced Duffy in Cedar Rapids to 87 months’ imprisonment followed by a three-year term of supervised release. It is noted that there is no parole in the federal system. Currently, Duffy remains in the custody of the United States Marshal until he is transported to a federal prison.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin prosecuted the case which involved investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as police departments from Waterloo and Cedar Falls.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. Launched on May 26, 2021, PSN focuses on fostering trust within communities, supporting organizations that prevent violence before it occurs, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.
