Davenport man sentenced to 30 years on drug conspiracy charges

A man from Davenport has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison on drug conspiracy charges, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Kpangbala Benyan Blamah, 34, was sentenced on April 17 to 360 months in federal prison for conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and/or possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and marijuana; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and felon in possession of firearms.

According to public court documents and trial information, Blamah was identified as a suspect in multiple shooting incidents by law enforcement. During the investigation, officers learned that Blamah was a leader of a drug distribution conspiracy in and around the Quad City Metro area. Evidence revealed that Blamah was coordinating several trips to California for himself and other members of the conspiracy, including, in some cases, minors that Blamah recruited to be a part of the conspiracy. Evidence showed that he mailed packages of controlled substances from California to various residences of members of the conspiracy in Davenport. Blamah was responsible for over 1700 kilograms (over 3,747 pounds) of controlled substances, including marijuana and cocaine.

Blamah must serve five years of supervised release after his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement and the case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that unites all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy, strengthening PSN based on the core principles of fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring, setting focused enforcement priorities and measuring results. Click here for more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.