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Sioux City man pleads guilty to meth conspiracy

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — A Sioux City man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to meth conspiracy.

According to a release from the United States Attorney’s Office, Jesse Chavez, 43, of Sioux City, pleaded guilty on June 28 in federal court in Sioux City to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chavez was previously convicted of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in Iowa District Court in 2015.

At the plea hearing, Chavez admitted that between September 2021 and December 2021, he was involved in a conspiracy that distributed over a pound of meth in the Sioux City area. On December 14, 2021, Sioux City Police officers observed suspicious conduct by Chavez in a pharmacy parking lot and inside the store. Officers confronted Chavez, obtained consent to search his vehicle, and seized three ounces of methamphetamine.

Chavez would obtain multiple ounce quantities of methamphetamine from his sources of supply and then sell lesser quantities of the methamphetamine to others.

Chavez remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. On Count 1, Chavez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and on Count 2, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment.

Chavez faces a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $28,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.