DES MOINES — A press conference Friday morning revealed the results of a significant Des Moines law enforcement gang investigation.
22-year-old Xzavier Clark was a passenger in a car that led police on a high-speed chase in July 2019. As the car was fleeing, police say Clark took a 40-caliber handgun that was used in a previous drive-by shooting and tossed it out of the car and onto a Des Moines street.
Clark was charged federally with unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of firearm after police were finally able to conduct a stop of the vehicle Clark was in and discovered two baggies of marijuana and marijuana residue inside.
Clark pleaded guilty and was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison.
“I can say with confidence that the streets of Des Moines are safer today and will be safer for the next 10 years because he will spend that decade in federal prison,” U.S. Attorney Marc Krickbaum said at a press conference.
Krickbaum noted that his office has brought federal gun charges against 10 other gang members “directly connected” to Clark, some of which are fellow members of the same gang.
“The underlying message … is that if you’re going to be involved in violent gun crime in central Iowa, this is how it’s gonna end,” Chief Wingert said. “Maximum sentences without the opportunity for parole. That’s what this is about.”