SIOUX CITY — An Eagle Grove man convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine while illegally possessing a firearm was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison Thursday.

Bobby Hernandez, 50, received the term after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute meth and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person on Aug. 27. He was previously convicted in 2009 of possession of a firearm by a felon, according to a news release from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa.

Evidence at plea and sentencing hearings showed that Hernandez distributed at least 750 grams of meth mixture (1.65 pounds) in Wright County from 2017 to about October 2019. In April 2019, he was arrested in Webster County on an outstanding warrant for a state probation violation, where officers seized over seven grams of meth.

Hernandez also distributed more than 6 grams of meth on two occasions in June and August 2019 to people cooperating with law enforcement. On Aug. 15, 2019, he was arrested in Fort Dodge for failure to appear in a Wright County criminal case. During that arrest, officers seized a bag under his car seat with small quantities of meth and heroin, a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol and a homemade silencer.

Hernandez was sentenced to 12 years and eight months in federal prison by District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. He will also serve a four-year supervised release term after prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Wright County Sheriff’s Office, Eagle Grove Police Department, Fort Dodge Police Department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.