Felon Who Unlawfully Possessed a Gun Sentenced to Prison

A woman who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced May 2, 2024, to more than 2 years in federal prison.

Andrea Crystal Lee, age 36, from Emmetsburg, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 19, 2023, guilty plea to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. 

Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that on January 24, 2023, Lee was on state probation for possession of a controlled substance offense.  During a probation check, a state probation officer located methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in Lee’s home.  Law enforcement secured a search warrant, and a search of Lee’s home was conducted.  During the search, law enforcement found a loaded 9mm handgun concealed in a floor vent, ammunition, and magazines.  As a drug user and felon, Lee was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

Lee was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Lee was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment.  She must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our 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 our 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.

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

The case was investigated by the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick T. Greenwood and Kraig R. Hamit. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 23-3011.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.