Nathan Nickless, 40, from Dakota City, Iowa, pled guilty on April 1, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City. Nickless was convicted of two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and one count of failure to appear. Nickless had multiple prior felony convictions which prohibit a person from possessing a firearm, including a prior 2008 drug felony for possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver.
At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on August 12, 2023, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, law enforcement attempted a traffic stop on a truck Nickless was driving. Nickless ignored and attempted to evade law enforcement onto a river road. After ramming his truck into a non-law enforcement vehicle, Nickless stopped his truck and fled on foot but was apprehended while trying to climb a river embankment. During the flight, Nickless was in possession of a backpack. In the backpack, law enforcement found a loaded 9mm pistol, multiple bags of narcotics including approximately 200 grams of methamphetamine, marijuana, psychedelic mushrooms, pills, THC gummies, ammunition in sanitizing wipes, a scale, and multiple small baggies.
Nickless was federally charged but was allowed to remain released pending his July 8, 2024, federal trial. Nickless failed to appear as required for trial and absconded from law enforcement over the next several months.
On September 28, 2024, in Humboldt County, Iowa, law enforcement became aware Nickless was in the area. Law enforcement located Nickless and attempted to stop the vehicle he was driving. He refused to stop and began a vehicle pursuit with law enforcement where he again abandoned the vehicle he was driving in a field by a river. Law enforcement lost sight of Nickless when he went on foot along the river. The abandoned vehicle was seized, and a search warrant was granted. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and found methamphetamine, multiple baggies of marijuana, pills, a scale, empty baggies for distribution, a methamphetamine pipe, and a marijuana pipe. On October 2, 2024, Nickless was found hiding inside a residence in Humboldt County and was arrested.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Nickless remains in custody of the United States Marshals Service and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Nickless faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick T. Greenwood, and was investigated by the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Dodge Police Department, Iowa DCI Laboratory, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the U.S. Marshals Service.