Iowa City Today

A Iowa City man was sentenced Friday, June 23, 2023, to nine years in federal prison for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, and evidence presented at sentencing, Michael Haythorn, 32, fled from law enforcement after they were called to respond to a domestic disturbance between Haythorn and his significant other. Law enforcement chased Haythorn on foot until he jumped a fence and officers lost sight of him. Approximately 20 feet away from the location that Haythorn jumped the fence, officers located a firearm. The firearm had Haythorn’s DNA on it. Haythorn knew he was a felon and was prohibited from possessing firearms.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Haythorn will be required to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. 

Original source can be found here.