An Iowa woman, Sarah Kay Johnson, has been sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a sawed-off shotgun and sharing firearms with her husband, Ian Jon Duffy, a convicted felon. The sentencing took place on March 14, 2025.
Johnson, aged 38 and from Mason City, Iowa, pleaded guilty on October 17, 2024, to the charge of possessing a national firearms destructive device not registered to the possessor.
The investigation began in October 2023 when law enforcement stopped Duffy due to concerns about his wellbeing. At that time, he had multiple loaded firearms despite having a prior domestic abuse conviction prohibiting him from possessing them. Following this incident, Johnson acquired a Glock handgun for Duffy even though he was also barred from firearm possession due to another felony conviction. Among the firearms she shared with him at their residence was the illegal sawed-off shotgun.
United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams handed down Johnson's sentence in Cedar Rapids. Besides her prison term, Johnson will serve three years of supervised release following her imprisonment. The federal system does not allow parole.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin prosecuted the case after an investigation by several agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and police departments in Waterloo and Cedar Falls.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence by fostering trust within communities and supporting preventive community-based organizations.