A man from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced to over 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. Blake Putnam, 39, pled guilty on December 3, 2024, to charges related to methamphetamine distribution.
From January 2021 through March 2024, Putnam and others conspired to distribute approximately 4,500 grams of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area. On February 5, 2024, law enforcement attempted to stop Putnam's vehicle. He attempted to flee but was apprehended when his car hit a curb. During the event, Putnam was seen discarding packages out of his vehicle, leading to the recovery of nearly one pound of methamphetamine and other substances.
Further investigations on March 5, 2024, revealed additional methamphetamine in a backpack within a rental storage unit leased by Putnam. Video evidence showed Putnam bringing the backpack to the storage unit.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Putnam to 151 months in prison, with a five-year term of supervised release afterwards. "There is no parole in the federal system." Putnam is currently in U.S. Marshal custody until his transfer to a federal facility.
Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde prosecuted the case. The investigation, led by the Tri-State Drug Task Force, involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the DEA, Sioux City Police Department, and the Iowa National Guard.