Charles City man sentenced for Cerro Gordo County eluding and drug charges

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A Charles City man who pleaded guilty to eluding police in Cerro Gordo County and third-offense possession of methamphetamine has been sentenced to a suspended prison sentence and three years of probation.

Anthony Lester Douglas Long, age 29, was arrested on May 19 after a chase that started in a Mason City business district then headed out of town to the north, that began with an attempted stop for a traffic violation.

Long was apprehended about 3 miles north of Mason City after having run through two red lights and four stop signs and traveling at least 25 miles above the speed limit.

Officers found a baggie of methamphetamine that had been thrown from the vehicle, a pipe with methamphetamine residue in the truck, a vape pen that contained THC, a small digital scale and a spoon with white powder residue.

Long was originally charged with eluding with speed in excess of 25 mph over the limit, second offense, a Class C felony; possession of methamphetamine, third offense, a Class D felony; driving while barred, habitual offender, an aggravated misdemeanor; and possession of cannabidiol, third or subsequent offense, an aggravated misdemeanor; and several traffic offenses.

Long pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of eluding, as a Class D felony, and the third possession methamphetamine charge.

On Wednesday, Judge Adam Sauer sentenced Long in Cerro Gordo District Court to up to five years in prison, suspended, and a $1,025 fine plus 15% crime services surcharge, suspended, on each of the eluding charge and possession charge, with the sentences to run concurrently with each other, but consecutively to a sentence in Cerro Gordo County and another in Floyd County for probation violations.