A convicted felon who possessed a firearm and ammunition on the streets of Cedar Rapids last October was sentenced today to ten years in federal prison, the statutory maximum sentence possible for his crime.

Bernard James Butler II, age 24, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 30, 2015, guilty plea to one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon.

At the guilty plea hearing, Butler admitted that he knowingly possessed a Fabrique Nationale FNX-40 .40 caliber pistol on October 29, 2014, and ammunition. At the plea hearing, Butler also admitted to prior felony convictions in state court for going armed with intent; intimidation with a dangerous weapon; burglary in the second degree; and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.

Butler was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade to 120 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Butler is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and investigated by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force.

Court file information available: https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 15-CR-001.