A Des Moines man was sentenced on January 23, 2026, to six years in federal prison for threatening to assault and murder a United States Probation Officer, while on supervised release.
According to public court records, Rodger Dawayne Gardner, Jr., 41, was convicted in 2020 for failing to register as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. In late 2022, Gardner was released from federal prison and began a seven-year term of supervised release. In December 2024, probation officers discovered Gardner was purchasing and distributing synthetic marijuana in Des Moines. The officers directed Gardner to report to the U.S. Probation Office. Gardner failed to report as directed, fled to Missouri, and made multiple threats to assault and murder the U.S. Probation Officer.
After completing his six-year prison term for the threats, Gardner will be required to serve an additional two‑year term of imprisonment for violating his supervised release conditions in his prior federal case. When his prison terms are complete, he will serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by United States Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Kerndt, along with retired Assistant United States Attorney Laura M. Roan.
