Government : Van Horne man tied to Mexican based Drug Trafficking Organization Imprisoned

            An Iowa man who conspired to distribute over 150 pounds of ice methamphetamine was sentenced to more than 21 years in federal prison.  

            Jeremey Aswegan, age 44, from Van Horne, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 7, 2021, guilty plea to one-count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. 

            Evidence at sentencing showed that Aswegan was involved in a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization that delivered at least 150 pounds of ice methamphetamine to Iowa via rail car in the Summer and Fall of 2020.  Aswegan then worked with others in the drug trafficking organization to distribute the methamphetamine in Iowa.  Aswegan also participated in sending drug proceeds to Mexico at the request of the organization.  A search warrant was conducted at Aswegan's residence on October 30, 2020, and investigators recovered ice methamphetamine and a firearm.       

            Aswegan was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Aswegan was sentenced to 262 months' imprisonment.  He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

            Aswegan is being held in the United States Marshal's custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. 

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Black Hawk County Sheriff's Office.