A Sioux City man has been sentenced to more than five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon and drug user. Mchennlley Mutsuo, 40, received his sentence on September 29, 2025, following his May 7 guilty plea.
At the time of his arrest, Mutsuo was on parole for a second-degree burglary conviction from March 1, 2021. During a home visit by Iowa parole officers, authorities found drug paraphernalia and a white crystalline substance at his property. The Sioux City Police were notified and obtained a search warrant. Officers then discovered two semi-automatic pistols, a revolver, and 132 grams of methamphetamine.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Mutsuo to 69 months in prison. He will also serve three years of supervised release after completing his prison term. Federal sentences do not allow for parole.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative led by the Department of Justice aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration among law enforcement agencies and community partners. According to the press release: "PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime."
Mutsuo remains in custody with the United States Marshal until he is transferred to federal prison.
The investigation involved the Sioux City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild prosecuted the case.
