Ottumwa Man Sentenced to 135 Months in Federal Prison for Drug Charges

DAVENPORT, Iowa - An Ottumwa, Iowa man was sentenced on October 19, 2026, to 135 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, marijuana, and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Robert Joe VanDyke, 53, was found in possession of nearly 300 grams of methamphetamine, 26.78 grams of cocaine, 16.17 grams of marijuana, $7,186, a digital scale, syringes, and a drug ledger in his vehicle in September 2025. VanDyke estimated that over four months he had received around 30 pounds of methamphetamine from his Monmouth, Illinois drug source.

After completing his term of imprisonment, VanDyke will be required to serve a five-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 the announcement. The Southeast Iowa Narcotics Task Force and Burlington Police Department investigated the case.