A Mason City man has pled guilty to charges of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, as announced in federal court in Sioux City.
Todd Aaron Howard Hamilton Sutton, Jr., 33, from Mason City, Iowa, was convicted of a single count involving the possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of pure methamphetamine.
According to a plea agreement, Sutton admitted that on July 27, 2024, he was driving a vehicle stopped for a traffic violation in Cerro Gordo County. He was subsequently arrested for driving while barred and taken to the Cerro Gordo County Jail. During booking at the jail, law enforcement discovered a plastic baggie containing methamphetamine on his person.
Sutton's sentencing will be determined by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand after a presentence report is completed. Following his guilty plea, Sutton was taken into custody by the United States Marshal and will remain there until sentencing. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years' imprisonment and could receive up to 40 years' imprisonment, along with a $5 million fine and four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and was investigated by the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department.