Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
Bobby Rhoden, a 50-year-old resident of Sioux City, has been sentenced to 31 years in federal prison. This follows his conviction on charges of kidnapping and possession of ammunition as a felon and drug user. The verdict was reached after a five-day jury trial in April 2024.
During the trial, evidence revealed that Rhoden manipulated his victim from a domestic abuse shelter into his vehicle by threatening her daughter. Over the next 36 hours, armed with both a knife and handgun, he terrorized her across multiple locations. At one point, the victim managed to escape from a garage where she had been held captive as Rhoden pursued her while firing his weapon.
The investigation uncovered live ammunition and spent casings at Rhoden's residence. Additionally, it was revealed that prior to the kidnapping, he had put a gun to his victim’s head and pulled the trigger without discharging it. He also isolated her by destroying her phone and made unauthorized recordings of her.
Rhoden's criminal history includes convictions for forgery in Scott County, Iowa; possession with intent to deliver controlled substances; and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in federal court. After previous incarcerations, he reportedly rearmed himself illegally.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand handed down Rhoden’s sentence in Sioux City: 372 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release without parole options within the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration among community stakeholders.
Rhoden remains in custody under United States Marshal supervision pending transfer to federal prison facilities. The case involved investigations conducted by several agencies including the Sioux City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, with prosecution led by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
