Date: 08-18-2018

Case Style:

Case Number: 18-cr-4038

Judge: Leonard T. Strand

Court: United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa (Woodbury County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: John H Lammers, Jamie D Bowers, Mikala Marie Steenholdt

Defendant's Attorney: Bradley Ryan Hansen - FPD

Description: Sioux City, IA - Jury Finds Three Time Convicted Felon Guilty of Heroin Conspiracy
Also guilty of distributing heroin on 4 separate occasions near parks and schools

A man who conspired to distribute heroin within protected locations was convicted by a jury on August 14, 2018, after a 3 ½-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.

Shelton Oliver, a/k/a Sinbad, 47, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and four counts of distribution of heroin, all within 1000 feet of a protected location. The verdict was returned following approximately two hours of jury deliberations.

The evidence at trial showed that Oliver distributed heroin on February 7, 14, and 27, 2018, and March 13, 2018, to a confidential informant utilized by law enforcement. Evidence also showed at trial that Oliver was involved in a conspiracy to distribute heroin in the Sioux City area from 2016 through on or about March 27, 2018. Evidence proved that the conspiracy and the four separate distributions all occurred within 1000 feet of protected locations, namely: Dale Street Park, Grandview Park, Alfred Thompson Children’s Park, Dinosaur Park, and Hunt Elementary School, in Sioux City, Iowa.

Evidence at trial also showed that on October 6, 2017, Oliver distributed heroin to Ty Olsen, who later died on this same date from a heroin overdose. The evidence at trial further showed that on March 13, 2018, Oliver distributed heroin to the confidential informant in a vehicle while Michael Pinney was overdosing in the passenger seat but was later revived by medical personnel.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Oliver remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Oliver faces a mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least 6 years of supervised release, if ever released from imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers and Mikala Steenholdt and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.

Charges:

21:846, 860(a), 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 851 - CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
(1)
21:860(a), 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 851 - DISTRIBUTE IN OR NEAR SCHOOLS/CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
(5-7)
21:860(a), 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 851, 18:2 - DISTRIBUTE IN OR NEAR SCHOOLS/CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
(8)

Outcome: Guilty

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

Comments: