Iowa man with history of fleeing from law enforcement pleads guilty to several charges

SIOUX CITY (KTIV) - A Northern Iowa man who, at one point, was a wanted fugitive was in federal court Tuesday, April 1, where he pleaded guilty to drug and gun charges.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa says 40-year-old Nathan Nickless from Dakota City, Iowa, pleaded guilty to the following charges.

• 2 counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• 1 count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person
• 1 count of failure to appear.

Federal authorities say Nickless has several prior convictions that prohibit him from possessing a firearm. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, a $20 million fine and at least 10 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

Nickless pleaded guilty in federal court in Sioux City, and during the hearing, evidence showed that in August 2023 he was involved in a pursuit with law enforcement.

According to federal authorities, Nickless was driving in the Fort Dodge, Iowa area when local law enforcement tried to stop his vehicle.

Nickless did not pull over and tried to evade law enforcement. He reportedly went onto a road near a river and rammed his truck into another vehicle, after which he ran away on foot. Authorities later apprehended Nickless while he was trying to climb a river embankment.

Nickless had a backpack on him, and authorities say it had a loaded pistol, and bags of methamphetamine, marijuana, psychedelic mushrooms, and other narcotics.

After the chase, Nickless was charged in federal court but was allowed out of jail until his trial in July 2024. Authorities say he didn’t appear for trial and for the next several months, he was a wanted fugitive.

In July 2024, authorities in Northwest Iowa saw Nickless at a Casey’s in the town of Pocahontas. The Pocahontas County Sheriff’s Office reportedly tried to pull Nickless over and a pursuit began. The pursuit continued until Rolfe, where authorities say Nickless abandoned his vehicle and fled into a cornfield. At the time, the sheriff’s office said there was an exhaustive search of the field, using drones, K-9s, aircraft and help from multiple law enforcement agencies. But Nickless was never found.

A couple of months later, on Sept. 28, 2024, law enforcement learned Nickless was in Humboldt County, Iowa, where his hometown is.

“Law enforcement located Nickless and attempted to stop the vehicle he was driving. He refused to stop and began a vehicle pursuit with law enforcement where he again abandoned the vehicle he was driving in a field by a river," stated federal authorities in a press release.

Authorities lost sight of Nickless and his abandoned vehicle was seized. Inside the vehicle were methamphetamine, marijuana and other drug paraphernalia.

A few days later, on Oct. 2, 2024, Nickless was found inside a Humboldt County home and arrested.

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