Hawkeye Reporter

A Colorado man has pled guilty in federal court to charges related to drug distribution and illegal firearm possession. Ryan Miller, 40, who recently lived in Pilot Mound, Iowa, was convicted on June 27, 2025, in Sioux City. The charges include conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.

Miller's previous conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in 2017 legally barred him from owning a firearm. During the plea hearing, he admitted his involvement from January 2024 through April 27, 2024, in distributing at least half a pound of methamphetamine and over 1,700 fentanyl pills.

On April 21, 2024, Miller and two others were traveling to Colorado to obtain more methamphetamine and sell fentanyl pills when they attempted to evade law enforcement during a high-speed chase. During the pursuit, Miller discarded two pop cans containing fentanyl pills from the vehicle. His co-defendants made false emergency calls to distract law enforcement.

Later that day, authorities searched Miller’s residence under a warrant and found small quantities of methamphetamine, psilocybin mushrooms, marijuana, and a loaded .22 caliber Beretta handgun.

Sentencing will be determined by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand following the preparation of a presentence report. Until then, Miller remains in custody of the United States Marshal. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years imprisonment with potential life imprisonment as well as fines up to $8.25 million and at least eight years of supervised release post-imprisonment.