Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
A Sioux City man has pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute. Alfredo Soberanes, 31, entered his plea on December 4, 2025.
According to information presented at the plea hearing and outlined in a plea agreement, law enforcement attempted a traffic stop of Soberanes’ vehicle around midnight on August 31, 2023. Soberanes initially stopped but then drove away as officers approached. Police did not pursue him but instead went to the address linked to the vehicle’s registration in Sioux City.
At that location, another individual answered the door and confirmed knowing Soberanes but said he was not present. Officers received permission to search the residence and eventually found Soberanes hiding in the basement. Upon arresting him, authorities discovered a digital scale, a firearm, and more than 2,500 pills containing fentanyl among other illicit items.
Sentencing will take place before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand after completion of a presentence report. Soberanes is being held by the United States Marshal until sentencing. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and could receive up to 40 years’ imprisonment, along with a $5 million fine and four years of supervised release.
