Press Release

Elberon, Iowa, Man Sent to Federal Prison for Over Six Years for Illegally Possessing Guns

Wednesday, September 30, 2026

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For Immediate Release

U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Iowa

Posted a photograph of an AK-47 firearm and threatened to commit a "baptism by blood" at a community event

A man who threatened to shoot up a community event and who sent multiple people threatening messages featuring guns was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison.

Daniel Scott Carter, age 42, from Elberon, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 1, 2026, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.

Information at sentencing showed that in May 2024, Carter posted a photograph on Facebook of an AK-47-style firearm with the caption, "Say hello to my little friend." In the comments section of his post, Carter threatened to shoot people at an upcoming community event and commit a "baptism by blood." He also sent photographs of a different gun to multiple people, along with threatening text messages. In June 2024, law enforcement officers seized seven firearms that belonged to Carter, including an AK-47-style firearm that matched the firearm in Carter's earlier Facebook post.

Carter was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Carter was sentenced to 78 months' imprisonment and must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Carter is being held in the United States Marshal's custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Tama County Sheriff's Office, and the Linn County Sheriff's Office.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

The case file number is 25-CR-85.

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Updated September 30, 2026