Former Prosecutor Sentenced on Federal Gun Charge
| U.S. Attorney’s Office May 22, 2009 |
DES MOINES, IA—On May 22, 2009, former Assistant Pottawattamie County Attorney Jeffrey Richard Tekippe, 47, formerly of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment for possession of stolen firearms, announced United States Attorney Matthew G. Whitaker. United States District Judge James E Gritzner also ordered Tekippe to serve a two year term of supervised release following his incarceration and pay a $100 assessment to the Crime Victim Fund.
A plea agreement was previously entered into by the government and the defendant in which they agreed that the appropriate sentence to be imposed is a term of imprisonment of 24 months. There was no agreement between the parties concerning the amount of any fine or the term of supervised release.
As part of the plea agreement, Tekippe admitted the following:
1. That on February 1, 2007, in Pottawattamie County, he knowingly possessed, concealed and stored stolen firearms, those being a Jennings, Model 48, .380 caliber pistol, and a Lorcin, Model L9mm, 9mm pistol. He agreed that those weapons had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce. He further agreed that he knew the firearms were stolen.
2. That on February 1, 2007, in Pottawattamie County, he knowingly possessed, concealed and stored the above firearms at his residence.
3. The weapons were evidence in criminal cases being prosecuted by the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office. At some point prior to February 1, 2007, they were stolen from the custody of the appropriate law enforcement authorities. On February 1, 2007, a search was conducted at Tekippe’s home. He was found to be in possession of the weapons. One weapon was found under his bed, the other was hidden in the rafters.
4. Tekippe also acknowledged that on or about February 1, 2007, he was an Assistant Pottawattamie County Attorney and that he, therefore, held a position of public trust.
This investigation was conducted by Iowa Department of Public Safety – Division of Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.