Shearer

DES MOINES — On Dec. 12, a Marshalltown man was sentenced to 204 months in federal prison for possessing a distribution quantity of methamphetamine and carrying a firearm in relation to his drug trafficking.

According to public court documents, Anthony James Shearer, 39, was found in possession of more than 40 grams of methamphetamine during a traffic stop in February 2024. At the time, he has absconded from his parole for a 2020 state drug trafficking conviction. In a backpack inside the car, Shearer had two loaded firearms.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Shearer will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together 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 these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit Justice.gov/PSN.