A MAN WORKING ON A CLEAN-UP CREW DURING THE HISTORIC JUNE 2024 FLOODING IN SPENCER, IOWA HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO MORE 3 AND A HALF YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON.
38-YEAR-OLD HECTOR BENAVIDEZ, FROM DONNA, TEXAS, RECEIVED THE PRISON TERM AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO ONE COUNT OF POSSESSION OF FIREARMS BY A FELON AND ONE COUNT POSSESSION OF STOLEN FIREARMS.
CASE EVIDENCE REVEALED, DURING A GUN AUDIT AT A SPENCER STORE, TWO FIREARMS WERE MISSING.
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND STORE PERSONNEL DISCOVERED THAT BENAVIDEZ HAD BEEN HIRED BY A CLEANING CREW TO HELP CLEAN UP AFTER THE 2024 FLOODING.
WHEN BENAVIDEZ WAS CONFRONTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT, HE ADMITTED TO TAKING THE FIREARMS TWO DAYS PRIOR AND STATED THEY WERE WITH HIS BELONGINGS IN THE HOTEL ROOM HE WAS STAYING IN.
LAW ENFORCEMENT RECOVERED THE FIREARMS AND FOUND BENAVIDEZ WAS PREVIOUSLY CONVICTED OF FELONY AGGRAVATED ROBBERY IN TEXAS.
BENAVIDEZ WAS SENTENCED IN SIOUX CITY BY U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE LEONARD STRAND AND IS BEING HELD IN U.S. MARSHAL’S CUSTODY UNTIL HE CAN BE TRANSPORTED TO A FEDERAL PRISON.
