Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
Nathan Nickless, a 40-year-old from Dakota City, Iowa, entered a guilty plea in federal court in Sioux City on April 1, 2025. He was charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and one count of failure to appear. Nickless, with prior felony convictions, including a 2008 drug felony for possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Evidence presented during the plea hearing indicated that on August 12, 2023, Nickless was involved in a confrontation with law enforcement in Fort Dodge, Iowa. He attempted to evade police, ultimately ramming a truck into another vehicle and fleeing on foot, only to be caught while climbing a river embankment. His backpack was found to contain a loaded 9mm pistol, approximately 200 grams of methamphetamine, marijuana, psychedelic mushrooms, pills, THC gummies, ammunition, a scale, and multiple small baggies.
Initially released pending a federal trial set for July 8, 2024, Nickless failed to appear and eluded law enforcement for several months. On September 28, 2024, in Humboldt County, Iowa, he was again spotted, leading police on another vehicle chase before abandoning the car near a river. The vehicle yielded methamphetamine, marijuana, pills, and drug paraphernalia following a search. Nickless was arrested on October 2, 2024, when found hiding in Humboldt County.
Nickless awaits sentencing by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand, following the preparation of a presentence report. He remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service until sentencing. The charges carry a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum potential life sentence, along with a $20,000,000 fine and at least ten years of supervised release.
Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood leads the prosecution. The investigation involves several agencies, including the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Dodge Police Department, Iowa DCI Laboratory, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
