Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Transportation of Two Stolen Vehicles, and Illegally Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition

A Sioux City man who terrorized the community with a gun and stole two vehicles, during a 13-day crime spree, pled guilty today, in federal court in Sioux City.

Manaen Rave, age 27, from Sioux City, pleaded guilty to two counts of Interstate Transportation of Stolen Motor Vehicle and one count of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Felon.

At the change of plea hearing, and in a plea agreement, Rave admitted that on February 16, 2025, he carjacked a motor vehicle by pistol whipping his victim in the head with a .22 revolver, requiring her to receive treatment at a hospital.

11 days later, on or about February 27, 2025, Rave stole a second vehicle, leaving his victim standing in a gas station parking lot without a ride to work.

Rave transported both stolen vehicles in interstate commerce, traveling back and forth between Iowa and Nebraska. Rave tried to hide from police, burying himself inside a closet, but was located and arrested by a combined Special Weapons and Tactics Team.

Rave has an extensive criminal history including drug, assault, and theft convictions.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Rave remains in custody of the United States Marshal. Rave faces a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case was investigated by Woodbury County Sheriff's Department, Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, Sgt. Buff Iowa, Police Department, Sgt. Bluff Fire & Rescue, Dakota County, Nebraska Sheriff's Department, Iowa Department of Transportation, the United States Department of Justice's Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), and the Department of Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.plLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link..

The case file number is 25-4032.

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