Washington, DC (KROC-AM News) - A convicted drug kingpin from the Mason City, Iowa area is on the list of the federal prisoners scheduled to be executed beginning late this year.

The order from U.S. Attorney General William Barr listed 5 men who have been sentenced to death for especially heinous crimes. Dustin Lee Honken is now scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection on January 15th. He was already serving a 27-year sentence for his conviction on drug trafficking charges in 2005 when he was sentenced to death for the 1993 murders of 5 people. Two of the victims were associates about to testify against him, while the other victims were the girlfriend of one of the men and her young daughters.

The list of the condemned was issued after US Attorney General William Barr announced Thursday the Justice Department would resume enforcing capital punishment sentences. It has been almost 20 years since the federal government has performed an execution.

More From KDHL Radio