Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a Firearm

Marcus Fair, 27, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty October 30, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Evidence at the plea hearing showed that on September 21, 2022, law enforcement responded to a Humboldt, Iowa, residence for a report of domestic disturbance and animal cruelty. After conducting interviews, law enforcement arrested Fair. Officers were then led to a discarded backpack in a nearby woods. Inside the bag were items that belonged to Fair, including a loaded Taurus G3C, 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, an extended magazine, and marijuana. Fair admitted these items belonged to him, and that he used marijuana. As a user of marijuana, Fair was prohibited from possessing firearms.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Fair remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Fair faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, Humboldt Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

The case file number is 23-3042. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.