Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
A jury in Cedar Rapids has convicted Marcus Dejohn Wallace, 29, of possessing a firearm as a felon after a three-day trial. The jury delivered the verdict following about three hours of deliberation.
Evidence presented during the trial revealed that on September 5, 2024, Wallace led police officers on a high-speed chase through Cedar Rapids. He eventually stopped in a residential area and attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended by a police K-9. Officers found a loaded firearm nearby, missing its magazine, which was later recovered along Wallace's escape route. Wallace has a prior federal conviction for heroin distribution causing serious bodily injury.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aiming to reduce violent crime and gun violence by uniting law enforcement and communities. The Department strengthened PSN in May 2021 with strategies focused on building community trust, supporting preventive community organizations, prioritizing strategic enforcement, and measuring outcomes.
Sentencing for Wallace will be determined after the preparation of a presentence report by United States District Court Chief C.J. Williams. Until then, he remains in custody of the United States Marshal. Wallace could face up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release post-imprisonment.
Assistant United States Attorneys Devra Hake, Shawn Wehde, and Dan Tvedt are prosecuting the case. The investigation was conducted by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
