A George, Iowa man has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison for drug trafficking offenses. John Rothkehl, Jr., 40, received the sentence on August 21, 2025, following his guilty plea earlier this year.
Court records show that between January 2022 and October 2024, Rothkehl conspired with others to distribute at least 150 grams of pure methamphetamine. In September 2024, he distributed methamphetamine to an individual working with law enforcement. The following month, police stopped a vehicle in which Rothkehl was a passenger. A K-9 unit alerted officers to the presence of controlled substances. Officers found over 35 grams of pure methamphetamine in the backseat where Rothkehl was seated.
Rothkehl admitted he intended to distribute the drugs and also acknowledged having a fentanyl pill hidden in his underwear at the time of his arrest. Investigators determined that he made trips to Spencer, Iowa and South Sioux City, Nebraska to obtain methamphetamine for distribution in the George area.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Rothkehl in Sioux City to 130 months in prison and ordered a five-year term of supervised release after his incarceration. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole.
Rothkehl is currently held by the United States Marshal’s Service until transfer to a federal prison facility.
