A Council Bluffs resident has been sentenced to 42 months in federal prison after being convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon. Ronald Lee Behee, Jr., 51, was sentenced on August 21, 2025.
Court records show that on October 28, 2024, Behee brought a loaded pistol to his workplace at Tyson’s Foods. Law enforcement discovered the weapon—a Ruger LCP .380 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number—in Behee’s locker following a tip. In addition to the firearm, authorities found about 8 grams of methamphetamine and 4.4 grams of marijuana in his possession. Behee has prior convictions related to theft, controlled substances, and domestic violence.
Upon release from prison, Behee will serve three years of supervised release. Federal law does not allow for parole. The court also ordered forfeiture of the firearm and imposed a $100 special assessment.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal for the Southern District of Iowa announced the sentence. The case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
"There is no parole in the federal system."
