Dubuque Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Firearm as a Drug User

Evidence Indicated He Was Also Trafficking Firearms

A man who possessed a .357 Magnum revolver as an unlawful user of marijuana pled guilty August 13, 2018, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

Javontae Ernie Grisson, age 22, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of possession of a firearm by a drug user.

A criminal complaint previously filed alleged that on May 17, 2018, police investigators executed a search warrant at Grisson’s apartment in Dubuque.  During the search, investigators found drug paraphernalia and marijuana strewn throughout the apartment.  Investigators found a .357 Magnum revolver with ammunition on Grisson’s bed.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Grisson remains released on previously set court conditions pending sentencing.  He faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority.  In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman and was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, Dubuque Police Department, Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.