Cedar Rapids man sent back to federal prison for distributing fentanyl

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Cedar Rapids man, who was already on federal parole when he distributed fentanyl pills to undercover law enforcement, was sentenced this week to nearly four years in prison.

Gregg Morris McGee, 49, pleaded guilty Aug. 27 in U.S. District Court to one count of distribution of a controlled substance.

According to information at sentencing, McGee was convicted in 2015 and sentenced to 10 years of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon and three years of supervised release following his prison term.

On March 9, 2023, McGee was released from prison. His first term of supervised release was revoked in July 2023, and he was sentenced to 21 additional months in prison followed by one year of supervised release.

On Nov. 13, 2024, McGee was released from federal prison a second time, but in January 2025 he distributed 99 fentanyl pills to law enforcement officers. He then distributed 169 purported fentanyl pills to law enforcement officers in February 2025, but a lab analysis showed the pills didn’t contain any controlled substances.

Both these distribution incidents happened while McGee was on federal supervised release.

U.S. District Chief Judge C.J. Williams sentenced McGee to 46 months in prison and ordered him to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by a Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force consisting of the DEA; Linn County Sheriff's Office; Cedar Rapids and Marion police departments; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.

Trish Mehaffey covers state and federal courts for The Gazette

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com