Dearion Deshawn Newman, a 22-year-old identified as a member of a hybrid criminal street gang in Waterloo, Iowa, has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison for possessing a firearm after a felony conviction.
Newman received the 37-month prison term on May 13, 2026, following his guilty plea on December 17, 2025. Evidence presented at sentencing revealed that on May 11, 2025, Newman was in a car with three other individuals, including two juveniles, all identified by law enforcement as gang members. Officers recovered four guns in and around the vehicle, with Newman admitting to possessing a loaded gun found under the car, which had his DNA, an extended magazine, and a laser sight.
At the time of the offense, Newman was on state probation for a prior firearm possession felony and interference with official acts with a firearm, a probation sentence that was revoked in October 2025. United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams in Cedar Rapids ordered Newman's federal sentence to run consecutively to his state court sentence, followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
This case is part of "Operation Take Back America," a nationwide Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, transnational criminal organizations, and violent crime. The investigation was conducted by a Federal Task Force comprising the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, with assistance from the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.