An Ames man will serve time in federal prison following his recent conviction on illegal drug and firearm possession charges.

Fifty-three-year-old Lonnie Hill was sentenced recently to 18 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and having Possession of a Firearm as a Felon.  Hill’s term of imprisonment will be followed  by five years of supervised release.

Between May and July 2020, law enforcement officers in Polk and Marshall Counties repeatedly encountered hill with drugs and firearms in his possession.

In two incidents, Hill led officers on high speed vehicle pursuits in Marshalltown, including one in which Hill crashed into an occupied vehicle.  During the course of the incidents, officers seized large quantities of marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin, two firearms, and thousands of dollars in cash.  The investigation further revealed that Hill was trafficking drugs, including methamphetamine in the Marshalltown area.

Hill has a lengthy criminal history, including multiple prior felony drug trafficking convictions.  Hill was serving a state term of parole when he committed the offenses charged in the case.