Independence Man Sentenced as Felon in Possession of Firearm

An Independence man was sentenced on Wednesday to more than five years in federal prison for his second conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

34-year old Robert Dettbarn received the prison term after a January 21, 2026, guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Information at sentencing showed that on September 8, 2025, members of the United States Marshals Service Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force went to Dettbarn’s home in Independence.  Task Force officers were trying to find Dettbarn to arrest him on a warrant issued in federal court for his violations of supervised release.  Dettbarn had previously been convicted in federal court in 2018 of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

After officers arrived at Dettbarn’s home and determined he was inside, they attempted to persuade him to leave the home.  Dettbarn refused to do so.  Officers could see Dettbarn inside with a gun.  After about five hours, an Iowa State Patrol tactical unit arrived to assist.  Officers deployed tear gas into the home.  Officers then heard a gunshot when Dettbarn accidentally fired his gun, striking the foundation of a nearby home.  Dettbarn then left the home and was taken into custody.

Dettbarn was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Dettbarn was sentenced to 61 months’ imprisonment between his new sentence and a sentence of imprisonment for violating his supervised release.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Dettbarn 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 Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the United States Marshals Service.