CEDAR RAPIDS — A Mechanicsville man, who admitted Monday to attempting to hire someone to kill a witness in his case, was sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison for distributing ice methamphetamine and being in possession of multiple firearms.
During sentencing, U.S. District Judge C.J. Williams described Brandon Kirstein, 33, as going “off the rails,” after Kirstein admitted he obstructed justice when he attempted a murder-for-hire plan to stop a witness from testifying.
Kirstein pleaded guilty last June in U.S. District Court to possession of meth with intent to distribute. During the plea, prosecutors said he admitted to distributing or had intent to distribute at least 5 grams of pure ice meth.
Kirstein also possessed multiple firearms including a pistol, another handgun and two shotguns.
Williams sentenced Kirstein to 135 months in prison and ordered him to serve four years of supervised release following his prison term. He will remain in jail pending being taken to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Liz Dupuich and investigated by the Muscatine County Drug Task Force, Cedar County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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