Floyd County drug charges dismissed in state court as case is filed in federal court

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

Charges have been dismissed in Floyd County District Court for a man who was scheduled to begin trial this week on a Class B felony drug charge, so that the case can be prosecuted in federal court.

Trial had been set to begin Tuesday for John T. Qualls, age 42, of Tucson, Arizona, on a charge of possession with intent to deliver more than 5 grams of methamphetamine, a Class B felony, and failure to affix a drug stamp, a Class D felony.

According to documents filed in Floyd County District Court, Qualls had been stopped by a Floyd County deputy on Highway 18 near Rudd on Jan. 31, 2022, for driving 88 mph in a 65 mph zone.

The deputy’s report said a probable cause search was conducted on Qualls’ vehicle and two plastic bags containing a substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine were located in the vehicle. Together the bags weighed about four pounds, the report said.

On Monday, Assistant Floyd County Attorney Randall Tilton filed a motion to dismiss the case, saying that federal prosecution had been initiated against Qualls and a federal warrant has been issued.

“The federal charges involve the same facts as this case, as well as others,” Tilton wrote.

That same day, Judge Gregg Rosenbladt ordered the state charges dismissed and assessed court costs to Qualls.

A criminal complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa last Friday by a special agent with the Department of Narcotics Enforcement with the Iowa Department of Public Safety, that gives more details of Qualls’ initial arrest.

Special Agent Emory Ochoa wrote that Qualls was placed in the deputy’s car while the search was being conducted.

“During a review of Deputy (Dylan) Isakson’s in-car recording Qualls acknowledged multiple times on his phone that Deputy Isakson had located the contraband in his vehicle and he would be going to jail for a long time,” Ochoa’s report said.

The methamphetamine seized from Qualls was sent to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation state laboratory for analysis and showed about 1,202 grams (2.65 pounds) of 100% pure methamphetamine.

Ochoa wrote that based on his training and experience, he believes there is a probable cause that Qualls was involved in possession with intent to deliver more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.