Marion man convicted of trafficking large quantities of meth

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Marion man who was transporting 'massive” quantities of ice methamphetamine from the Southwest into Iowa pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court. 

Marty B. Robbins, 55, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. His co-defendant, Valerie Kupka, 42, of Clutier, was convicted last week of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.                                             

A plea agreement and evidence from previous court hearings show Robbins obtained large shipments of ice meth, starting in April 2017, from sources in the Southwest. He brought the drugs to Iowa in a trailer. Kupka assisted Robbins in selling the meth.

On April 20, police investigators conducted surveillance on Robbins while he was at a storage facility in Cedar Rapids, and saw Robbins and others unload boxes of suspected methamphetamine from Robbins' trailer, according to court documents. After executing several search warrants on Robbins' truck, trailer, and other cars, investigators recovered about 9 pounds of ice methamphetamine. 

Investigators also recovered a total of $57,122 in cash from the drug sales during their investigation into Robbins and Kupka.

On May 26, Robbins and Kupka were arrested on federal warrants while entering Nogales, Ariz., from Mexico at the Nogales-Grand Avenue Port of Entry.

Robbins faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and possibly up to life in prison without parole, a $10 million fine and at least five years on supervised release following any prison time.

Sentencing will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Robbins remains in jail pending sentencing.

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