A Sioux City man, Joseph Tapia, has been sentenced to over four years in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm. Tapia, 25, pleaded guilty on August 28, 2024, to the charge of possession of a firearm by a felon.
The incident leading to his arrest occurred on December 11, 2023. Sioux City Police stopped Tapia for riding a bicycle without a headlamp after midnight. During the stop, Tapia resisted arrest and attempted to escape from officers. Once detained, officers found a loaded 9mm pistol in his fanny pack along with a digital scale containing methamphetamine residue.
Tapia's criminal history includes convictions in 2017 for six counts of second-degree burglary and one count of third-degree burglary. He was paroled in 2021 and attended meetings where he was informed about the consequences of possessing firearms and offered support services such as employment assistance and mental health counseling. Despite these warnings and opportunities, Tapia committed this federal offense within two years of completing state supervision.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Tapia to 51 months' imprisonment with credit for time served. Following his prison term, he will undergo three years of supervised release; there is no parole option in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration among various stakeholders. PSN targets enforcement efforts on violent offenders while partnering with local prevention and reentry programs.
Tapia remains in United States Marshal’s custody until he is transferred to a federal prison. The investigation was conducted by the Sioux City Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.