A Council Bluffs resident and Guatemalan native, Wilton Omar Garcia-Castillo, has been sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for methamphetamine-related charges. According to court documents, the 19-year-old distributed 500 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in June 2024. Subsequently, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence, uncovering 27 pounds of methamphetamine, a loaded firearm with an extended magazine, digital scales, and over $4,000.
Upon completing his prison term, Garcia-Castillo will serve five years of supervised release. The federal system does not offer parole.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal from the Southern District of Iowa announced the sentencing. The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Iowa Department of Public Safety–Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Council Bluffs Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), and Iowa State Patrol.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence by uniting various levels of law enforcement with communities. Launched on May 26, 2021, PSN's strategy focuses on fostering community trust and legitimacy, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes. More information about PSN can be found at Justice.gov/PSN.