Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
A Waterloo man has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for illegally possessing firearms after previous convictions for domestic abuse. Chad Michael Newell, 51, pleaded guilty on September 4, 2025, to possession of a firearm by a person convicted of domestic violence.
Newell’s prior convictions in 2020 included domestic abuse assault by strangulation and domestic abuse assault causing bodily injury. These offenses barred him from owning or possessing firearms. Despite this prohibition, police discovered three guns inside a car located in Newell’s garage during a search on February 11, 2025. Two of the firearms were equipped with magazines capable of holding 30 rounds.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand handed down the sentence in Cedar Rapids, ordering Newell to serve 24 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. There is no parole available under the federal system.
Following sentencing, Newell was released on bond and is required to surrender to the United States Marshal at a date that has not yet been determined.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Waterloo Police Department.
The prosecution falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that coordinates efforts among law enforcement agencies and communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence. According to the Department of Justice’s strategy launched on May 26, 2021, PSN emphasizes building trust within communities, supporting organizations that prevent violence before it occurs, setting targeted enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
