Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Sutton attempted to conceal approximately 1.5 ounces of methamphetamine while being booked at the Cerro County Jail for a driving while barred charge
A man who possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute was sentenced June 18, 2025, to more than 7 years in federal prison.
Todd Aaron Howard Hamilton Sutton, Jr., age 34, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 12, 2025, guilty plea.
In a plea agreement, Sutton admitted that on July 27, 2024, he was the driver of a vehicle pulled over for a traffic violation in Cerro Gordo County. He was arrested for driving while barred and taken to the Cerro Gordo County Jail. While being booked into the jail, law enforcement found a plastic baggie containing approximately 45 grams of methamphetamine Sutton had discretely hidden on his person. Previously, Sutton had attempted to conceal drugs on his person on two prior occasions when being processed at the Cerro Gordo County Jail for other offenses. Sutton has an extensive criminal history involving, amongst others, violence and drug convictions.
Sutton was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Sutton was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Sutton is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Greenwood and investigated by the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR03037.
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