Local Assistant United States Attorney Promoted to Colonel in Iowa Air National Guard

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Iowa (USAO) announced today that Tony Morfitt was promoted on January 31, 2026, to the rank of Colonel in the Air Force and Iowa Air National Guard. Morfitt has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the USAO's Cedar Rapids office since 2010.

Colonel Morfitt currently serves as the State Staff Judge Advocate for the Iowa Air National Guard, stationed at Joint Forces Headquarters in Johnston, Iowa. The State Staff Judge Advocate is the senior attorney in the Iowa Air National Guard. Seven other attorneys serve in the Iowa Air National Guard in Des Moines and Sioux City.

"This promotion is evidence of the commitment to duty, leadership, and public service that Tony has exhibited throughout his career," United States Attorney Leif Olson stated. "As both an AUSA and a member of the military, he has served our nation with honor and distinction. The USAO is proud to have him as a member of our team."

Following four years of duty with the Air Force Reserves, Colonel Morfitt joined the 132d Wing, Iowa Air National Guard, in 2014. The 132d Wing's missions span the globe and include remotely piloted aircraft, cybersecurity, intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance. Colonel Morfitt advised commanders on matters including military justice, cyber law, and the law of war and armed conflict. He was a key part of the creation of the 168th Cyber Operations Squadron, giving legal guidance on emerging cyber law concerns, including providing cybersecurity support to the State of Iowa during the 2020 elections.

Colonel Morfitt joined the Air Force upon graduating with high distinction and as a member of the Order of the Coif from the University of Iowa College of Law. He served on active duty for more than four years, during which he was trial counsel in more than 20 trials.

Colonel Morfitt's military awards include two Meritorious Service Medals, three Air and Space Commendation Medals, eight Air and Space Outstanding Unit Awards, and two Air and Space Longevity Service Awards. He is also a graduate of the Air Force's Air War College and its Air Command and Staff College.

As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Morfitt has handled a number of significant cases. He received a Director's Award from the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys for his prosecutions of three murders committed on the Meskwaki Settlement. He was also a member of the team prosecuting the mastermind behind the "Field of Schemes" fraud, which caused $120 million in losses and was the largest organic-fraud case in U.S. history. His recent cases include the prosecution of Gordon Grabau, a former volunteer reserve sheriff who possessed nearly 170,000 child-pornography files, and Cardel Redmond, who was sentenced to more than fifty-five years in prison for a twelve-day spree of armed robberies.

Soldiers and airmen serving in the Iowa National Guard receive the same training as their active-duty counterparts, and serve across the state through drilling status on weekends, during annual training, or full-time through various programs. The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act protects Guardsmen's employment and civil rights, as well as those of members of the military's various reserve components. The U.S. Department of Labor investigates complaints of violations of those rights, which are prosecuted by the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, in partnership with U.S. Attorney's Offices.

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