Nathan Nickless, a 40-year-old from Dakota City, Iowa, entered a guilty plea in Sioux City's federal court on April 1, 2025. Nickless admitted to two charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one charge of possession of a firearm by a prohibited individual, and a separate charge of failing to appear in court. He has several previous felony convictions, including a 2008 drug felony for marijuana possession with intent to deliver, prohibiting him from possessing a firearm.
The plea hearing presented evidence from August 12, 2023, when law enforcement in Fort Dodge, Iowa, attempted to stop a truck driven by Nickless. He attempted to evade police, eventually fleeing on foot after colliding with another vehicle. During the pursuit, he was caught trying to climb a river embankment. Officers found a backpack containing a loaded 9mm pistol, approximately 200 grams of methamphetamine, other drugs, and related paraphernalia.
Nickless was initially charged at the federal level and allowed to remain free until his July 8, 2024, trial. However, he failed to appear as required, remaining out of reach for several months.
On September 28, 2024, law enforcement in Humboldt County, Iowa, became aware of Nickless's presence. After another vehicle pursuit, he abandoned the vehicle and was eventually apprehended on October 2, 2024, hiding in a residence in Humboldt County. Inside the abandoned car, authorities discovered drugs and related utensils.
Nickless is set to be sentenced by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand, pending a presentence report. He remains in U.S. Marshals custody and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years' imprisonment, a possible maximum life sentence, a $20 million fine, and at least ten years' supervised release post-imprisonment.
The case is prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood. It involved several agencies, including the Webster and Humboldt County Sheriff's Offices, Fort Dodge Police Department, Iowa DCI Laboratory, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the U.S. Marshals Service.