Daniel Smith, a 38-year-old resident of Fort Dodge, Iowa, has been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to illegal possession of firearms. The sentencing took place on October 8, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
Smith had previously been convicted in Iowa for Unauthorized Possession of Offensive Weapons in 2017 and Dominion/Control of Firearm/Offensive Weapon by a Felon in 2022. These prior convictions made it illegal for him to possess any firearms.
According to evidence presented during the plea and sentencing hearings, Smith was found in possession of three firearms—specifically rifles and a shotgun—in November 2024. Law enforcement responded to his residence on November 16, 2024, following a report of shots fired and observed signs that a shotgun had been used. On November 21, 2024, authorities executed a search warrant at Smith’s home and seized three firearms: a .22 rifle, a .410 shotgun, and a 16-gauge shotgun. Smith admitted that he received the firearms from another person and had fired two of them to test their functionality.
