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Asbury Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Drug Offense

Marcus Allen Thomas was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug distribution charges in Iowa.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 18, 2026, 11:22 a.m. ET
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This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.

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On August 17, 2026, 37-year-old Marcus Allen Thomas of Asbury, Iowa, was to 18 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, according to U.S. Attorney's Office records. The matter is currently developing as Thomas remains in the custody of the United States Marshal pending transportation to a federal prison facility. According to official court filings, United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams Thomas in Cedar Rapids. In addition to the 18-month prison term, Thomas was ordered to pay a $5,500 fine and serve a three-year term of supervised release. Federal prison sentences do not offer parole. Official records show that investigators searched Thomas's residence in Asbury on April 12, 2025. During the search of a basement bathroom, officers located approximately 6.14 pounds of marijuana alongside approximately 101.56 grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. Thomas subsequently entered a guilty plea on February 18, 2026, admitting in a plea agreement that he possessed cocaine with the intent to distribute it. The case, filed under case number 25-CR-01046 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep. The investigation was conducted jointly by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, the Dubuque County Sheriff's Office, the Dubuque Police Department, the Asbury Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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  1. Version 118 Aug 2026, 15:22current

    First published.

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