United States of America v. Yoni Duenas

Sioux City, Iowa, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with unlawful transportation of firearms in violation of 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(1).

Digested by: Kent Morlan

On January 2, 2026, just before midnight, a Lyon County Sheriff’s Deputy initiated a traffic stop for an equipment violation on a vehicle being driven by Yoni Duenas, age 28, from Sioux City,. Duenas was impaired, even losing consciousness during field sobriety tests. Inside the car, there was an overpowering odor of marijuana, a female passenger, a 4-year-old child, a 1-year-old child, marijuana, methamphetamine, and a loaded handgun.

Duenas’ criminal history includes three state convictions for possession of controlled substances – methamphetamine, and five criminal use or possession of a firearm offenses including a pervious federal felony conviction where defendant possessed multiple firearms on different occasions.

After serving his first federal sentence, Duenas was required to serve a federal term of supervise release. He failed that term of supervision, was revoked, and sent back to federal prison three times. Just 38 days after completing that federal sentence, Duenas had rearmed and was arrested by the Lyon County Sherriff’s Office.

The Defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to 6 years in prison.