Hawkeye Reporter

Cleveland Stephens, also known as “Schmitty,” age 63, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The plea was entered on August 27, 2025.

According to the plea agreement, Stephens admitted that between August 2022 and June 2024 he conspired with another individual to distribute at least 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine and at least 50 grams of pure methamphetamine in the Northern District of Iowa.

Sentencing will take place before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams after a presentence report is completed. Stephens remains in custody pending sentencing. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and could receive up to life imprisonment without parole, along with a $250,000 fine and a lifetime term of supervised release.

The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Devra T. Hake and Dillan Edwards. The investigation involved the Drug Enforcement Administration, Cedar Rapids Police Department, Linn County Sheriff’s Office, and Benton County Sheriff’s Office. The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach involving multiple agencies to target high-level criminal organizations across the United States. More information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.