July 6, 2015

Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon and Unlawful Drug User in Possession of a Loaded Handgun

A TWO—time felon and unlawful drug user who was found in possession of a loaded handgun during a traffic stop pled guilty today to a firearms offense in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Anthony Hall, Jr., age 30, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of being a felon and unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm.

In a plea agreement, Hall admitted that Cedar Rapids Police Officers stopped him for a traffic violation on April 13, 2015. Hall lied about his true identity when questioned by the officers. When officers smelled marijuana coming from the car, they searched the car and found a loaded .40 caliber handgun in the center console, along with several baggies of marijuana. When officers moved to arrest Hall, he fought with the officers until they deployed a taser to subdue him. Hall has two prior felony convictions. In 2009, he was convicted in Linn County of Delivery of a Controlled Substance, and in 2003, he was convicted of Robbery in Austin, Texas. Hall also admitted to being an unlawful user of marijuana.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Hall remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Hall faces a possible maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney C.J. Williams and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 15-CR-55-LRR.