Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
On December 1, 2025, Ryan Miller, a 40-year-old resident of Pilot Mound, Iowa, was sentenced in federal court in Sioux City. Miller previously pleaded guilty on June 27, 2025, to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl as well as possessing a firearm while prohibited due to a prior conviction.
Court documents revealed that between January and April 27, 2024, Miller worked with others to distribute at least half a pound of methamphetamine and over 1,700 fentanyl pills. On April 21, 2024, Miller and two associates traveled toward Colorado to obtain more methamphetamine and sell fentanyl pills. During this trip, they attempted to evade law enforcement in a high-speed chase. According to evidence presented in court, Miller threw two cans containing fentanyl pills from the vehicle during the pursuit. To distract police officers further, his co-defendants made false emergency calls.
Later that day, law enforcement searched Miller’s residence under warrant and found small quantities of methamphetamine, psilocybin mushrooms, marijuana, and a loaded .22 caliber Beretta handgun. Due to his previous conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in 2017, Miller was legally barred from owning firearms.
The sentencing took place before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. "Miller was sentenced to 112 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of five years of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Miller remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison," according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
