Cedar Rapids Meth Dealer Sentenced To Life In Prison | AM 600 WMT

(Cedar Rapids, IA) — A Cedar Rapids man has been sentenced to life in federal prison. A jury found 66-year-old Michael Brunson guilty of drug charges last October. Evidence at trial showed Brunson, who also went by the name “Jaxon” was a large-scale meth dealer in the Cedar Rapids area. The judge noted Brunson had been deterred in the past, and his conduct has been a plague on society.

Brunson was convicted by a jury on October 13, 2023. He was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of distribution of methamphetamine. The jury also found that $30,540 in United Sates Currency was subject to forfeiture because the property was used or intended to be used in relationship to Brunson’s conspiracy.

Evidence at trial showed between April 2022 and September 2022, Brunson conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Cedar Rapids and surrounding areas. On June 5, 2022, Brunson was traffic stopped with over 2/3 lb. of methamphetamine in his car. On January 10, 2023, Brunson sold approximately two ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential source during a controlled buy. On January 21, 2023, Brunson was traffics stopped for a break lights violation. He had 3 bags of methamphetamine in his coat pocket, one bag weighing almost ½ lb., and had two additional bags of methamphetamine in his trunk, each bag weighing just under 1 lb.

At Brunson’s sentencing hearing, the Court found that he obstructed justice during his trial by falsely testifying, was a manager or supervisor of his criminal conspiracy, committed the offense as part of a pattern of criminal conduct engaged in as a livelihood, and that he possessed firearms. 

Brunson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Brunson was sentenced to life imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.

 Brunson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.