A Prairie City man is heading to prison after he pled guilty to drug and eluding charges in Federal Court.

Derek Duane Mullennax, 46, of Prairie City, was sentenced in United States District Court to 60 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine and 120 months in prison for discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Mullennax will serve a total sentence of 180 months in prison. In January, Mullennax pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine between February and March of 2016 and discharging a firearm during his run from law enforcement officers. The distribution charge stemmed from controlled purchases made from Mullennax in February of 2016. When law enforcement officers attempted to arrest Mullennax, he fled in his vehicle, leading officers on a chase through the Pleasant Hill and Colfax areas. Mullennax fired a Taurus 9mm pistol out the roof of his vehicle at an Iowa State Trooper during the chase. The investigation was conducted by Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

The Iowa State Patrol, Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, the Prairie City Police Department, and other federal, state, and local agencies also provided significant assistance with the investigation. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.