(Sioux City)—Four northwest Iowa men face federal drug charges, and one of the four also faces a weapons charge.
44-year-old Douglas Johnson of Primghar, 40-year-old Michael Roth of Spencer; 29-year-old Gary Wilson, Jr., of Hartley and 40-year-old Phillip Schurke of Hull have been charged with two counts of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and to possess pseudoephedrine with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine and traveling in interstate commerce to purchase pseudoephedrine in furtherance of the drug conspiracy.
The charges are contained in an indictment filed back on January 24th in U-S District Court in Sioux City.
The indictment alleges that between about March 2002 and August 31st, 2007 the four men conspired to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and distribute and possess pseudoephedrine with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine.
The four are also charged with traveling in interstate commerce among Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota as part of the drug conspiracy.
Roth was also charged with possessing firearms as a felon and unlawful user of controlled substances.
If convicted on the drug charges, Johnson, Roth, Wilson and Schurke face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment along with a four million dollar fine.
Roth faces an additional penalty on the gun charge of up to 10 years’ imprisonment and a 250-thousand dollar fine.
Johnson and Schurke made appearances January 28th in Federal Court in Sioux City. Schurke was released; Johnson was held without bond. An April 7th trial date was set for both men. Wilson appeared February 4th in federal court in Davenport and was held without bond. His arraignment date hasn’t been set. Roth’s initial appearance and arraignment is set for March 7th in U-S District Court in Sioux City.
