Selling Drugs to Inmates for Candy Leads to Additional Years for Linn County Man Convicted of Fraud

An Iowa man in jail on federal investment fraud charges has additional years added to his sentence after prosecutors say he sold prescription painkillers to fellow inmates for candy bars.

Donald Washburn, 63, was given two additional years for selling the oxycodone pills in May while being held in Linn County Jail awaiting sentencing on federal fraud, according to the Associated Press. That will run concurrently to his 11 year sentence on the federal charges from February.

The Gazette reported in February about the original fraud charges.

According to the indictment, Washburn had his son approach potential investors in May 2008 through October 2009 to convince them his father was in the process of developing and selling a dice game to casinos. Washburn also told him to tell the investors the television news show “60 Minutes” was going to do a segment on his dice game.

News outlets have conflicting reports about whether Washburn is from Cedar Rapids or Marion.