Burlington man convicted of methamphetamine, firearm charges

A Burlington man was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and for illegal firearm possession, a news release said.

According to public court documents, Jimmie Willis, 44, and others conspired to bring more than 400 pounds of ice methamphetamine to Burlington. Willis also illegally possessed numerous firearms related to his drug trafficking activities.

After serving his sentence, Willis will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Southeast Iowa Narcotics Taskforce, Burlington Police Department, Des Moines County Sheriff's Office, Sheriff's Office of Henry County, the Iowa Department of Transportation, the Muscatine County Sheriff's Office and the Iowa State Police.

The 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 all. On May 26, 2021, the ministry launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening the PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community organizations that help prevent violence in the first place , define targeted and strategic priorities. law enforcement priorities and measuring results. For more information about the Safe Neighborhoods Project, visit here.