A Chicago man, Jonathan Quinn Carter, 37, was found guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids for distributing ice methamphetamine on multiple occasions during the summer of 2025. The verdict followed a three-day trial, convicting Carter on eight counts related to methamphetamine distribution and aiding and abetting.
Evidence presented at trial showed Carter frequently traveled between Chicago and Cedar Rapids, transporting pound quantities of ice methamphetamine for distribution to customers. In November 2024, four pounds of the drug were found in a car he was traveling in, headed to Iowa. Another two pounds were discovered in his backpack during a traffic stop in August 2025, after he arrived in Iowa City from Chicago.
Law enforcement officers also purchased half-pound quantities of ice methamphetamine from Carter on five separate occasions, and he assisted in arranging three additional drug transactions. Carter now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, with a possible maximum of life, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release. Sentencing will be set by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams after a presentence report is prepared, and Carter remains in custody.