Hawkeye Reporter

A man involved in clean-up efforts following the June 2024 floods in Spencer, Iowa, has been sentenced to over three years in federal prison. Hector Benavidez, 38, from Donna, Texas, was sentenced on July 16, 2025, after pleading guilty to possession of firearms by a felon and possession of stolen firearms.

The case arose when a gun audit at a Spencer store revealed two missing firearms. Investigations showed that Benavidez had access to the storage room for these firearms while working with a cleaning crew post-flooding. Upon confrontation by law enforcement, Benavidez admitted to taking the firearms and stated they were in his hotel room. The firearms were recovered during a search of his accommodations. Previously convicted of felony aggravated robbery in Texas, Benavidez now faces 42 months' imprisonment followed by two years of supervised release.

United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand delivered the sentence in Sioux City. There is no parole option within the federal system. Until his transfer to a federal prison, Benavidez remains in United States Marshal’s custody.

The investigation was conducted by the Spencer Police Department, Clay County Sheriff’s Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild prosecuted the case.