(Sioux City)– An Emmetsburg man already convicted twice in the past 15 years for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, has been convicted a third time after pleading guilty to a similar charge Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Sioux City.
During the plea hearing, 49-year-old John Gagen admitted his involvement is a conspiracy to distribute atleast 50 grams of pure meth from about 2009 through April of 2011.
Gagen also admitted to purchasing a little more than three and-a-half grams of crystal methamphetamine which was later seized by law enforcement, who witnessed the transaction on April 9th, 2011.
Sentencing will be scheduled once a pre-sentence report is completed.
Gagen remains in the custody of a U.S. Marshal in the meantime.
He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment along with a $10 million fine and 5 years up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Iowa Great Lakes Drug Task Force, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office, Emmetsburg Police Department and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
