Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
A Palos Hills, Illinois woman has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after admitting to illegally purchasing firearms for her boyfriend, a convicted felon. On April 15, 2025, Daniella Maldonado-Paraday, aged 29, was sentenced following her guilty plea in December 2024 for making a false statement during a firearm purchase.
The Department of Justice reported that between 2021 and 2024, Maldonado acquired several firearms for her boyfriend. Despite being a drug user, she falsely claimed she was not an unlawful user of marijuana when buying the firearms.
United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams handed down the sentence in Cedar Rapids. In addition to her prison term, Maldonado is required to serve a three-year supervised release. Federal sentences do not include the possibility of parole.
The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin. The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, the Iowa State Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aiming to reduce violent crime and gun violence through community cooperation and law enforcement. Launched with a renewed strategy on May 26, 2021, the program focuses on community trust, supporting violence prevention organizations, strategic law enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.
