Van Buren County man  sentenced for nine years

Jeffrey Lee Himes, 44, of Douds, was sentenced Oct. 18 to 108 months imprisonment, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey Himes also ordered Himes to serve four years supervised release following imprisonment and pay $200 towards the Crime Victims Fund.

Himes previously had pleaded guilty to conspiring to manufacture methamphetamine and unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon.

A combined investigation by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies revealed that from December 2010 to December 2011, Himes and others conspired to manufacture over 200 grams of methamphetamine in Van Buren County. Himes manufactured methamphetamine in and near his Douds residence using pseudoephedrine pills purchased and provided by co-conspirators. Himes then distributed the manufactured methamphetamine to others.

When searching Himes? residence, police seized a variety of evidence pertaining to manufacture of methamphetamine as well as seven firearms and ammunition. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Southeast Iowa Inter-Agency Drug Task Force, the Van Buren County, Iowa, Sheriff?s Office, the Jefferson County, Iowa, Sheriff?s Office, the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the State Fire Marshals Office, and the Iowa State Patrol. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney?s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.