Northeast Iowa Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Buying Gun for Boyfriend

 A northeast Iowa woman who bought guns for her boyfriend has been sentenced to a year in federal prison. 

 Evidence in federal court showed that, in July 2023, 24-year-old Arryel Waters of Waterloo attempted to purchase a gun from a business in Cedar Falls.  Waters’ boyfriend, who was 17 at the time, went with her to the store.  Employees at the store felt Waters was not being truthful about who she was buying the gun for, so they denied the purchase.  

Waters then went to another business in Cedar Falls, but this time, her boyfriend stayed in the car.  Waters went inside and purchased a Glock firearm.  When she filled out the gun purchase paperwork, she noted she was buying the gun for herself.  In reality, Waters was buying the gun for her boyfriend.   

 In November 2023, Waters was working as a delivery driver. At one of the businesses she delivered to, employees made comments to her that Waters relayed to her boyfriend, who then confronted employees with the gun Waters had purchased for him.  The boyfriend was later arrested and charged with multiple counts, including felon in possession of a firearm. 

In September 2025,  Waters pleaded guilty to one count of false statement during purchase of a firearm. On Thursday (02.19), she was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams to 12 months and one day federal prison.  She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after prison and pay a $100 special assessment fee. 

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives, the Cedar Falls and Waterloo police departments.