News : Shellsburg felon sentenced to nearly 4 years for firearm possession

A four time felon who made threats by pointing a loaded shotgun at another and then discharging it in that person’s presence was sentenced today to just short of four years in federal prison.

Dennis Lee Kaplan, age 41, from Shellsburg, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 15, 2015, guilty plea to a single count Indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

At the guilty plea, Kaplan admitted that on August 21, 2014, he pointed a loaded shotgun at his girlfriend. He also pointed it at himself then discharged a single shell outside the door of their residence. The court noted the many aggravating risk factors in this case including placing not only himself but others at risk.

Kaplan was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. Kaplan was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Kaplan 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 Steve Young and investigated by the Vinton Iowa Police Department.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 14 CR 00125.