A Sioux City man has been sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm and violation of federal supervised release. Bob Schonrock, 54, received the sentence on January 16, 2025, after pleading guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon and drug user, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Schonrock's criminal history includes aggravated battery, grand theft, possession of controlled substances, eluding law enforcement, and other offenses in state court. He also has previous convictions for possession of a firearm by a felon and drug user as well as possession of a stolen firearm in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa.
In November 2023, Sioux City Police officers stopped Schonrock's vehicle for an equipment violation. Officers observed drug paraphernalia on the front passenger seat. A search revealed a scale with methamphetamine residue on Schonrock and a handgun in a tool bag in the back seat. Additionally, approximately 10.74 grams of methamphetamine were found in a magnetic container under the vehicle near the driver's door.
Officers also searched a garage associated with Schonrock where they found methamphetamine residue on a countertop along with packaging materials and approximately 483 grams of methamphetamine.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Schonrock to 180 months' imprisonment plus an additional 12 months for violating supervised release conditions. After serving his prison term, he will be subject to five years of supervised release without parole eligibility due to federal regulations.
The case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration among community stakeholders. PSN focuses enforcement efforts on violent offenders while partnering with prevention and reentry programs to achieve long-term crime reduction goals.
Schonrock is currently held by the United States Marshal until he is transported to federal prison. The investigation was conducted by Sioux City Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.