Iowa Man Sentenced to 30 Years After Guilty Verdict on Drug Charges

JUL 10 -- (Des Moines, IA) - On June 29, 2007, Mark Anthony Gaddy, age 38, of Des Moines, Iowa, was sentenced to an aggregate term of 30 years in prison upon his conviction on six drug charges, announced United States Attorney Matthew G. Whitaker. The six charges included one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base ("crack" cocaine) and marijuana, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and four counts of use of a telephone in drug offenses. United States District Court Judge James E. Gritzner also ordered Gaddy to serve 8 years of supervised release upon release from imprisonment, and to pay a $600 crime victim fund assessment. The sentencing comes after a guilty verdict by a jury following a three-day trial in November of 2006.

At trial, the evidence showed that Gaddy was involved in conspiring to distribute the drugs from February of 2005, until his arrest in August 18, 2005. Gaddy was intercepted by a court-ordered wiretap in conversations with Derek Thompson discussing obtaining and distributing the drugs. The Court found that Gaddy was involved in distributing over 50 grams of cocaine base. Gaddy had been previously convicted of three felony drug distribution offenses.

This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa. This investigation was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Des Moines Metro S.T.A.R. Team.