Cedar Rapids man sentenced for transporting hundreds of pounds of meth from California

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Cedar Rapids man has been sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison for transporting hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine from California to Cedar Rapids from 2017 to 2020.

Calub Joseph Storlie, 35, pleaded guilty last year to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

This week, U.S. District Court Judge C.J. Williams sentenced him to 200 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

Prosecutors said Storlie made regular tips to California to bring back ice meth to Cedar Rapids. Eleven others were charged and convicted in connection with Storlie, and nine are awaiting sentencing, according to prosecutors — including the man, named David Belton, who authorities say was the leader of the distribution ring.

During a wiretap investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration in Cedar Rapids in late 2021 and early 2022, agents learned that Albert Bailey — a relative of Storlie — was going on a trip to California to pick up between 30 to 60 pounds of meth. Evidence collected when authorities stopped and searched Bailey’s car in Nebraska showed that Storlie had previously made similar trips.

In addition to his involvement in the distribution of meth, Storlie purchased and stored at least nine firearms for Belton, who was a felon, prosecutor said.

Storlie was in U.S. marshal’s custody until he could be transported to a federal prison.

Comments: liam.halawith@thegazette.com