Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
Yoan Mateo-Cardona, a 24-year-old citizen of Guatemala who was living in Sioux City, Iowa without legal status, has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison. The sentencing took place on November 20, 2025, at the federal court in Sioux City.
According to information presented at his plea hearing on July 14, 2025, Mateo-Cardona admitted that he is a Guatemalan citizen and had previously been removed from the United States in 2022. He also acknowledged that as an undocumented immigrant and someone with a history of domestic violence, he was not allowed to possess firearms.
The case stems from an incident on November 7, 2024. On that day, Sioux City Police responded to a call at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino parking lot after security staff reported seeing someone with a firearm. Security footage identified Mateo-Cardona as the person carrying the gun. He was subsequently arrested for public intoxication and illegal possession of a firearm by someone with a domestic abuse conviction.
Court records show that Mateo-Cardona has prior convictions for being present in the U.S. without admission or parole, operating while intoxicated, domestic abuse assault, and possession of a controlled substance.
The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. In addition to his prison term, Mateo-Cardona will be subject to one year of supervised release following his incarceration. There is no parole available in the federal system. He remains in custody awaiting transfer to a federal prison.
