A former resident of Forest City, Iowa, has been sentenced to 45 months in federal prison following multiple counts of firearm possession as a drug user and making false statements during gun purchases. Brian Lee Byers, aged 39, entered a guilty plea on June 7, 2024, for charges that include four counts of possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user and four counts of making false statements to acquire firearms.
The case evidence indicated that Byers acknowledged possession of various firearms while using marijuana and methamphetamine between July 2019 and February 2020 in Cero Gordo County, Black Hawk County, Winnebago County, Grundy County, and Hancock County, Iowa. Byers admitted to falsely indicating on federal forms that he was not a drug user when purchasing multiple firearms on four separate occasions: July 25, 2019, November 9, 2019, February 22, 2020, and February 24, 2020.
The sentencing was carried out in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. In addition to his prison term, Byers is required to complete a three-year period of supervised release post-incarceration, as there is no parole option in the federal prison system. Until transferred to a federal facility, Byers will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal.
This case is associated with Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a collaborative initiative involving various levels of law enforcement and community partners aiming to curtail violent crime and enhance community safety. The program emphasizes trust-building within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, strategic enforcement, and results evaluation. The Department launched a renewed violent crime reduction strategy for PSN on May 26, 2021, aligned with these principles.
The investigation was conducted by the Mason City Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Fletcher and Jack Lammers prosecuted the case.