Hawkeye Reporter

A Waterloo man, Daijon Stokes, 32, was sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentencing took place in Cedar Rapids before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.

Court records indicate that on December 3, 2023, Stokes was stopped by an officer from the Waterloo Police Department. During the stop, he fled in his car through a residential area at speeds approaching 90 mph and later crashed into another vehicle carrying a woman and two children. Stokes then attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended by officers. A loaded handgun, marijuana, and other drugs were recovered from his vehicle.

Stokes received a sentence of 104 months in prison and will serve three years of supervised release following his incarceration. Federal law does not allow for parole.

The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt. The investigation involved the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, and Cedar Falls Police Department as part of a federal task force.

This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through cooperation between law enforcement agencies and community organizations. The Department of Justice updated its strategy for PSN on May 26, 2021 to focus on building trust within communities, supporting violence prevention efforts by local groups, setting targeted enforcement priorities, and tracking results.

Stokes remains in custody with the United States Marshals Service until he is transferred to federal prison.