Coralville Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison after Jury Found Him Guilty of Possessing a Firearm as a Felon and Trafficking Marijuana

DAVENPORT, Iowa - A Coralville man was sentenced on March 25, 2026, to 13 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial and sentencing, in February 2025, Ricardo Wiley Steward, 46, a felon, illegally possessed a loaded, stolen pistol, at a residence in Coralville. Additionally, Steward sold marijuana from 2024 to 2025 in the Iowa City area. As a felon, Steward was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Furthermore, Steward has numerous convictions related to violence, including assaults.

On October 28, 2025, following a two-day trial, a jury found Steward guilty of felon in possession of a firearm and possession with the intent to distribute marijuana. The jury did not find Steward guilty of possessing the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Steward will be required to serve a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa City Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.