Darrell Jawon Wilson, age 18, from Cedar Rapids, pleaded guilty on April 13 in federal court in Cedar Rapids to possession of a firearm by a felon.
The case concerns an incident that took place on October 1, 2025, in Waterloo. Officers responded to a report about two masked men looking into cars near a liquor store. When officers arrived and found the men, Wilson ran from them. During the chase, an officer saw Wilson pull out a gun from his waistline before falling and dropping the weapon. After he was taken into custody, officers retraced the pursuit route and recovered the gun.
Wilson has previous felony convictions for conspiracy to commit a forcible felony and going armed with intent. The current case is part of Operation Take Back America, described as “a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.”
Sentencing will be scheduled after completion of a presentence report before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Wilson remains in custody pending sentencing and faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years supervised release following any prison term.
