Arizona man gets 10 years in federal prison after 2022 Floyd County traffic stop finds meth

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

An Arizona man who was charged in Floyd County with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it was sentenced Monday to more than 10 years in federal prison.

John Trinidad Qualls, age 43, from Tucson, received the prison term after pleading guilty in September 2023 to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.

In a plea agreement, Qualls admitted that on Dec. 31, 2022, a Floyd County deputy stopped him for speeding on Highway 18 near Rudd, traveling at 88 mph in a 65 mph zone – 33 mph over the limit.

Qualls handed the deputy a pouch that contained his license, insurance, and registration, and there was marijuana residue inside the pouch, and both the pouch and documents smelled of marijuana. Qualls admitted that he had used marijuana earlier that day.

The deputy searched the car and found two bags containing about four pounds of a substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine and was later found when tested at the Iowa state crime lab to contain 1,202 grams – 2.65 pounds – of pure methamphetamine.

Qualls was initially charged in Floyd County District Court with 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.

In April last year, however, the Floyd County Attorney’s Office moved to dismiss the state charges because Qualls was being charged in federal court and “the federal charges involve the same facts as this case.”

Qualls was sentenced Monday in Cedar Rapids by U.S. District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams to 121 months in prison and he must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Qualls is being held in the U.S. Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office.