A northeast Iowa man who possessed a firearm while also possessing drugs he intended to distribute has been sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison.
In a plea agreement, 33-year-old Darius Caston of Waterloo admitted that officers found marijuana, methamphetamine, and a stolen and loaded gun in Caston’s car after stopping him on January 1, 2025. Caston admitted he intended to distribute the narcotics that were in the car and that it was illegal for him to possess a gun because he had previously been convicted of a felony offense.
In August 2025, Caston pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of carrying a firearm during and, in relation to, a drug trafficking crime.
On Wednesday (01.14), Caston was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 100 months in federal prison. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
Caston is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
