Man With Prior Federal Drug Conviction Sentenced to Federal Prison for Selling Drugs Again

A man with a prior federal drug conviction who was selling drugs again was sentenced on November 4, 2026, to more than three years in federal prison.

William Robertson, age 64, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 21, 2026, guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance near a protected location.

In a plea agreement, Robertson admitted he distributed controlled substances on four separate occasions between October and November 2024. On the first occasion, Robertson admitted that he distributed a mixture or substance containing heroin, flourofentanyl, and fentanyl, as well as a mixture or substance containing cocaine base. On the second occasion, Robertson admitted that he distributed a mixture or substance containing fentanyl and a mixture or substance containing cocaine base. On the third occasion, Robertson admitted that he distributed a mixture or substance containing cocaine base. On the fourth occasion, Robertson admitted that he distributed a mixture or substance containing cocaine. Robertson admitted that the first three distributions took place within 1,000 feet of a school in Cedar Rapids. Robertson was previously convicted of conspiracy to distribute five grams or more of cocaine base within 1,000 feet of a protected location in 2008 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa.

Robertson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Robertson was sentenced to 41 months and 15 days' imprisonment. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Robertson 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 Cedar Rapids Police Department.

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-CR-29.

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