Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
Luke Braniff, a 26-year-old resident of Mason City, Iowa, pleaded guilty on March 3, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City to the charge of being a felon in possession of ammunition. According to court records, Braniff had previously been convicted in Iowa for two counts of Lascivious Acts with a Child in 2017 and for Sex Offender Registry Violations in 2018, 2023, and 2025. These prior convictions made it illegal for him to possess firearms or ammunition.
During his plea hearing, Braniff admitted that he knowingly possessed ammunition despite knowing he was prohibited from doing so because of his earlier convictions. Authorities discovered Braniff’s illegal possession while investigating allegations that he had sent explicit sexual messages via Snapchat to a minor female and requested nude images from her.
Braniff is currently held by the United States Marshal and will remain in custody until sentencing. The sentencing date will be determined after the completion of a presentence report. He faces up to 15 years in prison, a possible $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
