Two Muscatine men were sentenced on July 22 to federal prison for drug and gun crimes related to a shooting in Muscatine on May 29, 2024, a news release says.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, on May 29, 2024, Juan Aldo Beltran Delgado, 34, and Isidro Barajas, Jr., 30, drove to a residence in Muscatine to await the delivery of a package they expected to contain more than 4.5 pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement saw Delgado and Barajas pick up the package from the residence and attempted to stop their vehicle.
Delgado was driving the vehicle and drove over 100 miles per hour through Muscatine, and drove through multiple red lights, attempting to evade law enforcement. Ultimately, Delgado crashed into two other vehicles near Highway 61 and Cedar Street. After crashing, both Delgado and Barajas took off from the car on foot carrying firearms. Officers arrived in the area and Delgado shot at officers, who were able to take both Delgado and Barajas into custody.
Delgado was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release, after his plea to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and carrying and discharging a firearm during and in relation to his drug trafficking. Barajas was sentenced to 32 years in federal prison, followed by a 10-year term of supervised release, after his plea to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, carrying and displaying a firearm during and in relation to his drug trafficking, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Department of Public Safety, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Muscatine Police Department, Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, Muscatine County Drug Task Force, Johnson County Drug Taskforce, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit here.