A man who law enforcement officers found with more than 16 pounds of methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than 21 years in federal prison.

Demetrius Stone, age 54, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a May 8, 2026, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that officers tried to stop a car that Stone was driving on January 7, 2026. Stone sped away from officers and a chase ensued. Stone drove through a residential area in Cedar Rapids at over twice the posted speed limit of 25 miles per hour. Stone also ran a stop sign and nearly struck a city bus. Stone eventually hit a curb, causing damage to his car. As his car was coming to a stop, Stone got out and attempted to run. Officers apprehended him a short distance from his car.

Officers found over 11 pounds of ice methamphetamine inside and near the car that Stone had been driving. Later that same evening, officers searched Stone's apartment in Cedar Rapids. Officers found approximately five and a half pounds of ice methamphetamine, approximately eight ounces of cocaine, a loaded gun, and approximately $59,000 in cash.

Stone was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Stone was sentenced to 259 months' imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Stone 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 Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.

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 26-CR-5.

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