David Specketer, a 57-year-old resident of Emmetsburg, Iowa, has been sentenced to 60 months in federal prison. The sentencing took place on March 21, 2025, following his guilty plea in Sioux City federal court on November 14, 2024. Specketer admitted to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of Emmetsburg High School.
Previously convicted in 2013 for conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, Specketer faced new charges after law enforcement attempted to arrest him at his home on April 15, 2024. The arrest was linked to an outstanding warrant from a pending case in Woodbury County dating back to 2022 for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine.
During the attempted arrest, Specketer tried to flee but was apprehended inside his residence with approximately one ounce of methamphetamine. He confessed that he intended to distribute the drug. His residence's proximity to Emmetsburg High School added severity due to its status as a protected location.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand presided over the sentencing. In addition to the prison term, Specketer is required to serve an eight-year supervised release period post-imprisonment and pay $10,000 in fines and attorney fees. Federal sentences do not allow for parole. Until his transfer to a federal prison is arranged, Specketer remains under the custody of the United States Marshals Service.