Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
A federal jury in Sioux City has convicted Cedrinique Coleman, 32, of Chicago, Illinois, on multiple charges related to the illegal purchase of firearms. The conviction follows a four-day trial and about four hours of jury deliberation.
Coleman was found guilty on four counts of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm and two counts of straw purchasing—buying guns for individuals prohibited from owning them. She was acquitted on two additional counts of making false statements.
Evidence presented at trial indicated that between April 2020 and July 2023, Coleman purchased seven firearms. Law enforcement began investigating after these weapons appeared at crime scenes in Iowa and other states. Two Glock 19 handguns bought by Coleman were later converted into machine guns; one was recovered from a prohibited person in Chicago, while another was used in the shooting of a police officer in Minneapolis. Another handgun—a Glock 22—was reported stolen by Coleman herself. Testimony indicated this is a common tactic among straw purchasers to distance themselves from firearms if they are later linked to criminal activity.
Law enforcement also found another handgun with Coleman's boyfriend during a search warrant executed at her apartment on February 21, 2024. Her boyfriend is barred from possessing firearms due to his status as an illegal drug user and domestic abuser—a fact known to Coleman since she was the victim in his domestic abuse conviction from 2020. At the time law enforcement recovered the weapon, he was out on bond for an attempted murder indictment in Blackhawk County.
Photos and text messages obtained from Coleman's cell phone showed communication with her boyfriend before and during several gun purchases. Evidence suggested she acquired these firearms at his request or demand.
"This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone," according to officials involved in the case. "On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results."
Sentencing will be scheduled following preparation of a presentence report by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Coleman remains free on bond pending sentencing. She faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years supervised release without parole under federal guidelines.
