Two men from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, have entered guilty pleas in federal court regarding their involvement in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Isaiah Pirtle, known by the alias "Pudge" and 33 years old, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Daxxton Cook, aged 36, also received a similar conviction on April 10, 2025.
Through a plea agreement, Cook acknowledged his role in selling fentanyl and cocaine. Cook confessed to selling 16 fentanyl pills on February 7, 2024, in Cedar Rapids. The following day, he sold 1.93 grams of cocaine and 5.37 grams of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl. On May 28, 2024, Cook further distributed 12.55 grams of cocaine and 20.75 grams of fentanyl. He had a previous felony drug offense record.
Pirtle, in a plea agreement, confessed to conspiring with others to distribute no less than 40 grams of a detectable fentanyl mixture and detectable cocaine.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that gathers law enforcement at all levels and their communities to tackle violent crime and gun violence, aiming for safer neighborhoods. The Department of Justice had enhanced this strategy in May 2021, focusing on trust, community support to prevent violence, strategic law enforcement, and measuring outcomes.
Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake is prosecuting the case, investigated under the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). This initiative, involving cooperation from multiple agencies, such as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Cedar Rapids Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, targets top-level criminal organizations with a collaborative, intelligence-based approach.
Sentencing will be scheduled before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams after the presentence report completion. Pirtle and Cook are in United States Marshal custody awaiting sentencing. Pirtle could face a five to 40-year sentence, a $5 million fine, and lifetime supervised release. Cook's penalties could include a maximum of 30 years, a $2 million fine, and lifetime supervised release.