Western District of Wisconsin
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Madison Man Sentenced to 78 Months for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Donald R. Spivey, Jr., 23, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 78 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Spivey pleaded guilty to this charge on December 18, 2024.
On July 15, 2024, Spivey abused his partner after she kicked him out of the house. During this incident Spivey strangled her and then grabbed her phone preventing her from calling the police. Spivey also pointed a handgun at her and stole a Glock 19 9mm from her.
Only July 17, 2024, police found Spivey sleeping in a stolen Jeep and tried to arrest him. Spivey drove off, causing officers to jump out of the way. Spivey then led police on a chase at speeds up to 115 miles per hour before he crashed, rolling the Jeep which landed on top of two vehicles in a driveway. Spivey then fled from the Jeep and was arrested with the assistance of a K9. Officers found the victim’s stolen Glock 19 9mm along Spivey’s path of flight and near the Jeep. Officers also found a Glock 20 10mm handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device (MCD) in the Jeep.
Spivey is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms. Possession of an MCD, also known as a “switch,” is illegal. An MCD is itself considered a machinegun and converts a handgun to fire fully automatic.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that Spivey’s criminal history started at a young age and included offenses where he assaulted the two mothers of his children, firing a handgun at one. Judge Conley observed that Spivey had served time in prison and was on state supervision when he once again engaged in domestic violence in this federal case, concluding that Spivey poses a danger to society.
The charge against Spivey was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
DeForest Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to 3 Years PrisonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Braulio Martinez Salazar, 31, DeForest, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 3 years in federal prison for attempting to distribute cocaine. Martinez Salazar pleaded guilty to this charge on December 16, 2024.
In late 2022 and early 2023, investigators with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating a cocaine trafficking organization operating in the DeForest and Madison area. Through intercepted phone calls and surveillance of Martinez Salazar, investigators learned that he was picking up a half kilogram of cocaine on June 1, 2023, to deliver to a customer of the organization in the Madison area. When Martinez Salazar was in route to meet the customer, he was stopped by a Dane County Sheriff’s deputy. During the stop, a narcotics dog alerted on the car and officers found the ½ kilogram of cocaine hidden in the car. From the investigation, officers believe the drug trafficking organization was distributing kilograms quantities of cocaine.
In choosing a sentence, Judge Peterson balanced Martinez Salazar’s lack of criminal history or prior arrests with the fact that he was part of a substantial drug conspiracy that caused harm to the community. Judge Peterson concluded that the quantity of drugs involved in the case warranted a significant sentence.
The charge against Martinez Salazar was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, and Madison Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Anderson and William M. Levins prosecuted this case.
The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations.
Elk Mound Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Failing to Pay Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Deena M. Hintz, 53, Eau Claire, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to a year in federal prison for willful failure to pay employment taxes. Hintz pleaded guilty to this offense on December 17, 2024.
Hintz owned and operated Jade Excavation and Trucking in Elk Mound, Wisconsin for nearly ten years. At times, Jade had up to fifteen employees who provided excavation, earth moving, and snow plowing services. Between 2017 and 2021, Hintz deducted over $400,000 in federal employment taxes from her employees’ payroll and instead of paying those taxes to the government, she kept the money for herself.
Judge Conley noted that a prison sentence was necessary to reflect the scope and gravity of the amount of money withheld and then used by Hintz and her business partner for their own benefit. Judge Conley also ordered Hintz to pay restitution for tax losses in the amount of $482,185.46.
The charge against Hintz was the result of an investigation conducted by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Fitchburg Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Making and Passing Counterfeit CurrencyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Cornelius Stewart, 30, Fitchburg, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 4 years in federal prison for making and passing counterfeit $100 bills. Stewart pleaded guilty to this charge on December 9, 2024.
Stewart and co-defendant Alex Stubbs were charged with passing numerous counterfeit $100 bills in various cities throughout Wisconsin. The investigation showed that between July and November of 2023, Stewart provided Stubbs with dozens of fake $100 bills having the same serial number to present to merchants when making small purchases, thereby obtaining large amounts of change in legitimate U.S. currency. Stewart also passed some of the bills himself.
In December 2023, a Dane County Sheriff’s deputy approached Stewart’s car to investigate attempts to pass the counterfeit money in Cross Plains, Wisconsin. Stewart sped off and dragged the deputy with the car, causing injuries. Stewart was convicted in Dane County for recklessly endangering the safety of the deputy and sentenced to five years in prison in May of 2024.
At the time of this offense, Stewart was on federal supervision for a previous conviction for manufacturing and passing counterfeit $100 bills in 2019. In addition, Stewart had been convicted federally in 2017 for the same offense.
In sentencing Stewart, Judge Conley gave considerable weight to Stewart’s repeated return to counterfeiting activity, observing that a significant prison sentence was necessary to deter Stewart’s choice to repeat it in the future. Judge Conley noted that Stewart’s conduct victimized small businesses who were impacted by the losses, as well as damaging the confidence in U.S. currency. Judge Conley ordered Stewart to pay $6800 in restitution to the businesses impacted.
In addition to the 4-year prison sentence for the current offense, Judge Conley revoked Stewart’s federal supervision and sentenced him to an additional 15 months in prison, for a total sentence of 63 months.
On December 12, 2024, Judge Conley sentenced codefendant Alex Stubbs to 14 months in prison for his role in passing the counterfeit bills.
The charges against Stewart and Stubbs were the result of an investigation conducted by numerous local law enforcement agencies, including police departments in Madison, Fitchburg, Sun Prairie, Cottage Grove, Cross Plains, Lake Mills, Marshall, Verona, Shorewood Hills, Tomah, Oconomowoc, as well as the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Wausau Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Leading Methamphetamine and Cocaine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Tommie L. Haney, 44, Wausau, Wisconsin, was sentenced February 20 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 14 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of both methamphetamine and cocaine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Haney pleaded guilty to this charge on December 2, 2024.
In February 2022, Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force officers began investigating a methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking organization operating in Wausau, Wisconsin. The multi-year investigation involved the seizure of drug-laden packages from the mail, controlled purchases of narcotics, and seizures of firearms and large quantities of drugs from residence searches. From the investigation, officers believe the drug trafficking organization was distributing kilograms quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine.
Haney was identified as a local leader of the drug trafficking organization. He worked closely with sources of supply, he arranged bulk purchases, and he accompanied others traveling to obtain drugs. He also helped set drug prices and recruited additional members to the organization. Haney supplied and directed the activities of several regional drug distributors. He also distributed drugs himself. He sold 226 grams of methamphetamine on February 24, 2022, 29 grams of cocaine on January 19, 2023, and 115 grams of methamphetamine on March 16, 2023.
At sentencing, Judge Conley said Haney was part of a substantial drug conspiracy that caused harm to the Wausau community. Judge Conley also said that the quantity of drugs involved in the case warranted a lengthy sentence.
Eight others were also charged in connection with this drug trafficking organization. Teala L. Kumbera was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and sentenced to 54 months in federal prison. Shandel L. Mohr was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison. Quo Vadis Lewis was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of both methamphetamine and cocaine and possessing firearms as a felon and was sentenced to 12 ½ years in federal prison. Shelby Gutch pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine on January 7, 2025, and entered into a 24-month diversion agreement. Troy C. Olsen was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine and was sentenced to 45 months in federal prison. Craig C. Gates was convicted of possessing cocaine intended for distribution and possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 106 months in federal prison. Edwin Lewis and Samuel A. Teague have pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming months.
The charges against Haney and the others in his organization were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
This case has also been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
In addition, this operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced to 8 Years for Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that James H. Hornung, 73, Newbold, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 100 months in federal prison for transporting obscene material in interstate commerce on two separate occasions. Hornung pleaded guilty to these charges on December 2, 2024.
On September 17, 2023, an individual called law enforcement to report that he had found a duffel bag along a logging trail in the Town of Newbold. An officer seized the duffel bag and brought it to the Sheriff’s office.
The duffel bag contained approximately 27 USB flash drives, SD cards, and several CDs, and other electronics. Officers identified the profile on a laptop found in the bag as Hornung’s. Agents analyzed the laptop and 6 flash drives that were submitted from the duffel and located almost 3500 media files that appeared to be child pornography.
Officers interviewed Hornung who admitted that he owned the duffel bag and said there was child pornography on the discs and flash drives. Hornung said that he searched and collected child pornography, put it into the duffel bag, and hid it because he was paranoid that he would get caught with it.
In sentencing Hornung, Judge Conley believed that Hornung left the duffel bag so that he could retrieve it after he was released from custody and keep possession of his child pornography collection. Judge Conley also found it aggravating that Hornung was accessing child pornography while on bond on another child pornography case. Judge Conley observed that Hornung was a sexual predator who was either unwilling or unable to address his long-standing attraction to minors.
In addition to this federal conviction, Hornung was convicted of second-degree sexual assault in 1979, sexual assault of child in 1997, and possession of child pornography in 2023.
The charges against Hornung were the result of an investigation conducted by the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg prosecuted this case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Wausau Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Bee Her, 45, Wausau, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 8 years in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Her pleaded guilty to this charge on November 26, 2024.
In 2023, investigators with the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force identified Bee Her as a multi-pound methamphetamine dealer operating out of Wausau. On October 13, 2023, a confidential informant purchased one pound of methamphetamine from Her at Her’s residence. On October 23, 2023, a confidential informant received two ounces of methamphetamine from Her at Her’s residence.
On February 8, 2024, Her was arrested on an active supervision warrant. Information obtained during the investigation suggests that Her was working for the cartels to traffic methamphetamine and that the cartels were trying to establish a line and system near Wausau. Her told investigators that he obtained 5 pounds of methamphetamine every two to three weeks to distribute.
During this time, Her was on state supervision for two felony cases, one involving a conviction for Child Enticement-Sexual Contact and the other involving convictions for Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Her’s supervision on the child sex crime was not revoked. His supervision on the drug case was revoked and he was sentenced to one year in jail.
At sentencing, Judge Conley said Her was identified as a large-scale trafficker of methamphetamine in Wausau with connections to Minnesota and Mexico and weighed the seriousness of Her’s conduct against his addiction to methamphetamine.
The charge against Her was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Wisconsin Rapids Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Bradly Rosenthal, 42, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to nine years in federal prison for possessing methamphetamine intended for distribution and possessing two loaded firearms as a felon.
Rosenthal sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant three times in February 2024. On March 13, 2024, law enforcement received a report of suspected drug activity at a car wash located in Nekoosa, Wisconsin. Officers responded to the car wash where they encountered Rosenthal. After a K9 alerted to the presence of illicit substances, law enforcement searched Rosenthal’s vehicle and found 266 grams of methamphetamine, two loaded firearms, a Taser, $2,000, and drug distribution paraphernalia. Rosenthal is prohibited from legally possessing firearms because of a prior felony conviction.
At sentencing, Judge Conley expressed concern at Rosenthal’s “repeated serious crimes,” which include prior drug trafficking and firearms offenses, and his continued “endangerment of others.”
The charges against Rosenthal were the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Central Wisconsin Drug Task Force and the Wisconsin Rapids and Nekoosa Police Departments. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Remington and Megan Stelljes prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to One Year for Possessing Methamphetamine in PrisonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Marco Cota-Tamaura, 44, Oxford, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to one year and one day in federal prison for possessing methamphetamine in prison. Cota-Tamaura pleaded guilty to this charge on December 2, 2024.
On March 22, 2024, Cota-Tamaura was serving a prison sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution, Oxford, Wisconsin (FCI Oxford). During a drug test that day, he tested positive for methamphetamine and then prison staff found him in possession of methamphetamine. Methamphetamine is prohibited in federal prisons.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Conley expressed disappointment that Cota-Tamaura abused his placement at FCI Oxford after achieving a reduced security level during his current prison term. He noted that Cota-Tamaura’s possession of methamphetamine presented a grave risk to inmates and guards, and that this justified adding a year to Cota-Tamaura’s current sentence.
The charge against Cota-Tamaura was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.
Madison Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Possessing a MachinegunRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Andre Miller Jr., 24, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 3 years in federal prison for possessing a machinegun. Miller pleaded guilty to this charge on November 8, 2024. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
On October 27, 2021, Town of Madison Police Department officers responded to a reported stolen vehicle parked in Madison. Miller was identified as the driver of the stolen vehicle. When an officer attempted to make contact with Miller, he fled. When officers caught up with Miller, they saw a gun magazine in the backpack he had been carrying. Officers then searched Miller’s backpack and recovered a loaded Glock 26 9mm handgun with a machinegun conversion device. A machinegun conversion device is an illegal, after-market device that converts a semi-automatic handgun into a fully functioning machinegun. In the backpack, officers also located 48 grams of cocaine and 10 grams of heroin.
“Machinegun conversion devices are extraordinarily dangerous,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea. “These devices are often used in weapons that are not designed to function as machine guns, thus making the weapons incredibly difficult to aim. Discharging a weapon equipped with such a device in a public area endangers every child and adult within range. Keeping these illegal devices off the streets in Wisconsin and keeping our citizens free of fear from these weapons is one of my highest priorities,” said O’Shea.
At sentencing, Judge Conley said that he found it very troubling that Miller was going around with a machinegun that was connected to drug trafficking.
The charge against Miller was the result of an investigation conducted by the Town of Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consisting of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and William M. Levins prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Madison Couple Sentenced for Methamphetamine and Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Yelitzia Ortiz Chaparro, 29, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 3 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. Her husband, Emanuel Gonzalez, 25, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on February 4, 2025, by Judge Peterson to 8 years in federal prison for possessing 500 grams of more of cocaine intended for distribution. Gonzalez pleaded guilty to this charge on November 4, 2024. Ortiz Chaparro pleaded guilty to the methamphetamine charge on November 6, 2024.
Between November of 2022 and February of 2023, Ortiz Chaparro sold cocaine to a confidential source working with the Drug Enforcement Administration on three occasions for a total of 362 grams. On March 17, 2023, Gonzalez and Ortiz Chaparro worked together to deliver one pound of methamphetamine to the confidential source in Madison.
On May 9, 2024, and again on May 15, 2024, Gonzalez sold cocaine to a second confidential source for a total of 198 grams. On June 13, 2024, the second confidential source contacted Gonzalez in order to purchase one pound of methamphetamine. During a telephone call with Gonzalez and Ortiz Chaparro to set up the deal, Ortiz Chaparro told the second confidential source that the price for the methamphetamine was $2,100. Later that day, Gonzalez delivered one pound of methamphetamine to the second confidential source in Madison.
On July 15, 2024, the second confidential source contacted Gonzalez and negotiated the purchase of two ounces of cocaine. Later that day, Gonzalez delivered 56 grams of cocaine to the second confidential source in Madison.
On July 18, 2024, agents executed a federal search warrant at Gonzalez and Ortiz Chaparro’s residence in Madison. Prior to the search, agents arrested Gonzalez and found $9,660 on his person. During the search of the master bedroom of the residence, agents found nearly a kilogram of cocaine in a closet and a loaded 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun in a dresser drawer. Agents also found $8,600 inside of a safe in a second bedroom. Agents performed a firearms trace on the recovered 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun and discovered that Gonzalez had purchased it in 2020.
At the sentencing hearing for Ortiz Chaparro, Judge Peterson stated that the large amounts of drugs she distributed for a significant period of time made it a very serious crime. Judge Peterson noted that the while the evidence showed that Gonzalez initially got Ortiz Chaparro involved in drug trafficking, she quickly “leaned into” selling significant quantities of drugs on her own.
At the sentencing hearing for Gonzalez, Judge Peterson stated that the evidence showed that Gonzalez had been responsible for distributing large amounts of illegal drugs prior to selling drugs to the confidential sources during the investigation. Judge Peterson also stated that Gonzalez made the situation worse by keeping a loaded firearm in an unlocked dresser drawer that was accessible to his young child and in close proximity to a large amount of cocaine.
The charges against Gonzalez and Ortiz Chaparro were the result of an investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Wisconsin State Patrol, and the Madison Police Department. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner handled the prosecution.
Janesville Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Taiwan Edwards, 29, Janesville, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 7 years in federal prison for possessing 500 grams or more of cocaine intended for distribution. Edwards pleaded guilty to this charge on October 28, 2024.
In October 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a storage unit connected to Edwards. Officers recovered more than a kilogram of cocaine and $72,573. Officers also found six firearms, including two “ghost guns,” and ammunition. A “ghost gun” is a privately made firearm that does not have a serial number.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson described the storage unit as a “mini armory,” and noted that Edwards had engaged in a “very substantial” amount of drug trafficking.
The charge against Edwards was the result of an investigation conducted by the Janesville Police Department and the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan R. Stelljes prosecuted this case.
Grand Jury Returns Seven IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation, and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
LAS VEGAS MAN CHARGED WITH COCAINE TRAFFICKING AND ILLEGAL FIREARMS POSSESSION
Enrique Rodriquez possessed over 5 kilograms of cocaine
Enrique Rodriguez, 41, Las Vegas, Nevada, is charged with distributing cocaine, possessing cocaine intended for distribution, possessing a firearm as a felon, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The indictment alleges that on June 6, 2024, Rodriguez distributed 500 grams or more of cocaine. The indictment also alleges that on January 16, 2025, Rodriquez possessed 5 kilograms or more of cocaine intended for distribution, illegally possessed a firearm as a felon, and possessed the firearm to further a drug trafficking crime.
If convicted, Rodriguez faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison for the count charging distribution of over 500 grams of cocaine. The count involving 5 kilograms or more of cocaine carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The felon in possession charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life.
The charges against Rodriguez are the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration in Madison and Milwaukee, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, and the Madison Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson is handling the case.
MARSHALL MAN CHARGED WITH DRUG AND GUN CRIMES
Deontrae C. McIntosh, 21, Marshall, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl; possessing cocaine and fentanyl intended for distribution; possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon; and possessing a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime.
The indictment alleges that McIntosh distributed cocaine on September 23, 2024, and on September 27, 2024. The indictment alleges that McIntosh distributed cocaine and heroin on October 4, 2024. The indictment further alleges that on November 6, 2024, McIntosh distributed cocaine and fentanyl, possessed cocaine and fentanyl intended for distribution, and possessed a loaded Glock 23, 40 caliber semi-automatic handgun as a felon and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
If convicted, McIntosh faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each drug charge. The felon in possession charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. If convicted of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, McIntosh faces a penalty of not less than 5 years in prison with a maximum of life in prison.
The charges against McIntosh are the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea is handling the case.
CHIPPEWA FALLS MAN CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING METHAMPHETAMINE AND FENTANYL
Jason Barnard, 39, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl and with possessing methamphetamine and fentanyl intended for distribution. The indictment alleges that on October 6, 2024, Barnard distributed a mixture of fentanyl and methamphetamine. The indictment further alleges that Barnard distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Finally, the indictment alleges that on December 6, 2024, Barnard possessed 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, all intended for distribution.
If convicted of the charge involving 50 grams or more of methamphetamine or 40 grams or more of fentanyl, Barnard faces a minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. If convicted of the charge involving 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, Barnard faces a minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The other distribution charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The charges against Barnard are the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Enforcement Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Anderson is handling the case.
WAUSAU MAN CHARGED WITH COCAINE TRAFFICKING AND ILLEGALLY POSSESSING FIREARMS
Johntay L. Johnson, 39, Wausau, Wisconsin, is charged with maintaining a drug involved premise, distributing cocaine, and possessing firearms as a felon. The indictment alleges that between December 19, 2023, and November 21, 2024, Johnson used his residence in Wausau to store, manufacture, and distribute illegal drugs. The indictment further alleges that Johnson distributed cocaine on nine occasions in 2024 and possessed three firearms as a felon on September 10, 2024.
If convicted of the drug counts, Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. If convicted of the felon in possession count, Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
The charges against Johnson were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of agents from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson is handling the case.
SUN PRAIRIE MAN CHARGED WITH ILLEGALLY POSSESSING FIREARM AND AMMUNITION
Cashius Carter, 20, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. The indictment alleges that Carter possessed a loaded Glock 9mm handgun and Federal 9mm ammunition between June 21, 2024, and September 26, 2024.
If convicted, Carter faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
The charge against him is the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the case.
FITCHBURG MAN CHARGED WITH ILLEGALLY POSSESSING FIREARM
Malcolm Whiteside, 29, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm as a felon. The indictment alleges that Whiteside possessed a loaded Glock Model 27 pistol on August 12, 2024.
If convicted, Whiteside faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
The charge against Whiteside is the result of an investigation conducted by the Monona Police Department, Madison Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma is handling the case.
MADISON MAN CHARGED WITH DRUG CRIMES
Gregory P. Robinson, 41, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing cocaine, possessing cocaine and fentanyl intended for distribution, and maintaining a drug trafficking place. The indictment alleges that Robinson distributed cocaine on four occasions in June 2024. The indictment also alleges that on June 25, 2024, Robinson possessed cocaine, 400 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl and cocaine, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, all intended for distribution. Finally, the indictment alleges that Robinson maintained a drug trafficking place from June 13, 2024, to June 25,2024.
If convicted of the charge involving 400 grams or more, Robinson faces a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. If convicted of the charge involving 40 grams or more, Robinson faces a minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. The distribution charges, the possession of cocaine charge, and the maintaining a drug trafficking place charge all carry maximum penalties of 20 years in prison.
The charges against Robinson are the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, the Madison Police Department, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon is handling the case.
CHIPPEWA FALLS MAN CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING METHAMPHETAMINE
Leroy T. McNamara, 61, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing methamphetamine. The indictment alleges that McNamera distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on July 8, 2024, and July 24, 2024.
If convicted, McNamara faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison on each charge.
The charges against McNamara are the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force and the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Stelljes is handling the case.
Beloit Man Sentenced to 22 ½ Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Misael Dominguez Adorno, 25, Beloit, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 22 ½ years in federal prison for producing child pornography. The prison term will be followed by 25 years of supervised release. Dominquez Adorno pleaded guilty to this charge on October 9, 2024.
In November 2022, Beloit Police received a CyberTip indicating that someone at Dominguez Adorno’s residence uploaded sexually explicit images onto the internet. Based on the tip, officers obtained and executed a search warrant for the home, where they seized numerous cell phones, iPads, computers, and flash drives.
Officers analyzed the devices and found videos of Dominguez Adorno engaged in sexually explicit conduct with five minors, whom officers were able to identify. Officers also found that Dominguez Adorno had received sexually explicit images from a 6th minor victim.
Judge Conley expressed concern that Dominguez Adorno only cared about getting what he wanted from each of his young victims, manipulating them to his advantage. Judge Conley also noted that Dominguez Adorno did not seem to realize that he had stolen part of each victim’s youth with his actions.
The charge against Dominquez Adorno was the result of an investigation conducted by the Beloit Police Department, the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Corporation and Former Chief Executive Officer Plead Guilty to Health Care Fraud and Tax ConspiracyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that KBWB Operations LLC, which did business as Atrium Health and Senior Living (KBWB-Atrium), and former Chief Executive Officer and Managing Member Kevin Breslin of KBWB-Atrium, both pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud and one count of tax conspiracy related to the operation of numerous skilled nursing facilities.
“Americans rely on skilled nursing facilities to care for themselves, family members and other loved ones, and the operators of these institutions must live up to their obligations and the law,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work closely with its law enforcement partners to help ensure the safety and dignity of our must vulnerable citizens.”
Breslin, 58, of Hoboken, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin on Dec. 17, 2024. KBWB-Atrium pleaded guilty in the same court on Jan. 21. Breslin is one of six owners of KBWB-Atrium. KBWB-Atrium’s corporate headquarters was located in Little Falls, New Jersey, and its Midwest corporate office was located in Appleton, Wisconsin. KBWB-Atrium operated and owned nursing facilities in New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
On Feb. 1, 2023, a Wisconsin grand jury returned a 12-count indictment against defendants Breslin and KBWB-Atrium (collectively the defendants) charging health care fraud and tax conspiracy, among other charges. According to court documents, from approximately Jan. 1, 2015, to in or about September 2018, KBWB-Atrium operated and owned 23 skilled nursing facilities in Wisconsin, and Breslin was responsible for overseeing all of KBWB-Atrium’s operations. The primary source of income for the KBWB-Atrium Wisconsin skilled nursing facilities was federal Medicare and Medicaid funds from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
According to court documents, the defendants’ alleged health care fraud scheme involved unlawfully diverting CMS funds intended for the operation, management, maintenance, and care of the residents of the KBWB-Atrium Wisconsin skilled nursing facilities for other purposes and personal expenses. The defendants allegedly prioritized distributions and guaranteed payments to KBWB-Atrium’s owners regardless of KBWB-Atrium’s financial situation. The defendants’ alleged actions resulted in failing to meet the required federal regulations governing skilled nursing facilities, including not operating the KBWB-Atrium Wisconsin skilled nursing facilities in a manner that would enhance residents’ quality of life. According to court documents, the defendants also knew that vendors were not being paid for extended periods of time or some were not paid at all for their services. Additionally, defendants allegedly failed to pay third-party administrators monies deducted from KBWB-Atrium employees’ paychecks for insurance premiums and 401(k) plan contributions.
As a part of the tax conspiracy alleged in court documents, Breslin, acting on behalf of KBWB-Atrium, directed that income taxes and employment taxes withheld from KBWB-Atrium Wisconsin employees’ paychecks not be paid over to the IRS. This caused employees to prepare tax returns listing those withholdings as having been paid to the IRS, which was false.
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on May 7 before U.S. District Judge William M. Conleyfor the Western District of Wisconsin. Breslin faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison for the health care fraud count and five years in prison for the conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States count, along with a period of supervised release. Both defendants face restitution and other monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence of each defendant after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Healthcare fraud affects every American,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “My office was proud to partner with the Justice Department’s Civil Division to help prosecute these individuals who harmed seniors and exploited our health care benefits programs for personal gain.”
“This guilty plea demonstrates our unwavering commitment to holding individuals accountable who exploit vulnerable populations and defraud the healthcare system for personal gain,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Breslin’s actions not only eroded public trust but endangered the well-being of patients who rely on our health care system. The FBI will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to investigate and bring to justice those who abuse positions of trust.”
“The guilty pleas of Kevin Breslin and KBWB Operations LLC serve as a reminder that healthcare fraud is not only a direct violation of patient care, but also an attack on the financial systems that underpin public and private trust,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Chicago Field Office. “IRS-CI and its law enforcement partners remain dedicated to investigating and prosecuting individuals and businesses who seek to exploit public and private institutions for personal gain.”
“HHS-OIG is dedicated to protecting Medicare and Medicaid funds and ensuring that health care providers uphold their responsibility to serve vulnerable populations with integrity,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The actions of those involved in this scheme erode the trust placed in our nation’s health care system, and we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who misuse public funds for personal gain.”
“Employers placing profit over upholding their legal fiduciary responsibilities when managing health benefit plans will not be tolerated,” said Regional Director Ruben R. Chapa of the Employee Benefits Security Administration in Chicago. “The Employee Benefits Security Administration remains committed to ensuring that those who knowingly break the law are held fully accountable.”
The IRS-CI Chicago Field Office; HHS-OIG – Office of Investigations, Milwaukee Field Office; U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, New York and Chicago Regional Offices; FBI Milwaukee Field Office; and the State of Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, Medicaid Fraud Control and Elder Abuse Unit investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys with the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin, visit its website at www.justice.gov/usao-wdwi.
Beloit Man Sentenced to 5 ½ Years for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jerry Tate, 52, Beloit, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 5 ½ years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl and for possessing 50 grams or more of fentanyl and methamphetamine intended for distribution. Tate pleaded guilty to these charges on October 28, 2024.
From September 2022 through May 2023, Tate traveled to La Crosse County, Wisconsin, where he stayed at various hotels for days at a time. During that time, he sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to a confidential informant (CI). Over the course of five controlled purchases, Tate sold the CI over 33 grams of fentanyl and over 13 grams of methamphetamine. On May 5, 2023, law enforcement arrested Tate and searched the hotel room where he was staying in Onalaska, Wisconsin. Law enforcement found over 100 grams of fentanyl and methamphetamine, items for drug distribution, and over $1,500 in U.S. currency. Following Tate’s arrest for trafficking fentanyl, he was out on bond for state charges and was arrested again for continuing to traffic fentanyl.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson found that a lengthy sentence was warranted given the duration of Tate’s fentanyl trafficking and fentanyl’s known toxicity. Judge Peterson also noted that the quantity Tate was dealing went beyond just supporting his own substance abuse, and that Tate’s criminal history demonstrated a potential to reoffend.
The charges against Tate were the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse, Campbell, and Onalaska Police Departments, as well as the La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.
Wausau Man Sentenced to More Than 8 Years for Cocaine Trafficking and Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Craig C. Gates, 46, Wausau, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 106 months in federal prison for possessing cocaine intended for distribution and possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Gates pleaded guilty these charges on October 28, 2024.
In February 2022, Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force officers began investigating a methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking organization operating in Wausau, Wisconsin, led by Tommie Haney and Quo Vadis Lewis. The multi-year investigation involved the seizure of drug-laden packages from the mail, controlled purchases of narcotics, and seizures of firearms and large quantities of drugs from residence searches. From the investigation, officers believe the drug trafficking organization was distributing kilograms quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine.
Craig Gates was identified as a frequent source of cocaine for Lewis and on June 28, 2023, officers with the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force executed a search warrant at Gates’s residence. Agents recovered a loaded Ruger 9mm handgun, over 420 grams of cocaine, over $11,000 in cash, and drug trafficking paraphernalia. Gates is prohibited from legally possessing firearms and ammunition because of multiple prior felony convictions.
During a later interview with law enforcement, Gates admitted that he had been selling cocaine for a long time. Gates said that he considered Lewis a friend, knew him a long time, and was Lewis’s source of cocaine. Further, Gates admitted to supplying 3 additional distributors, and receiving one or more kilograms at a time from his own source. Gates thought the cocaine came from cartels in Mexico because it came wrapped and stamped.
Gates was on state supervision for five different state cases while trafficking cocaine. His state supervision has since been revoked and he was ordered to serve one year in county jail.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that Gates was identified as a primary source of cocaine for Quo Vadis Lewis and other distributors. Judge Conley highlighted the many aggravating factors in the case, including the large amount of cocaine recovered, the loaded firearm, Gates’s lengthy criminal history including violence, and his being on supervision for five cases while trafficking cocaine.
Eight others were also charged in connection with this drug trafficking organization. Teala L. Kumbera was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and sentenced on November 14, 2024, to 54 months in federal prison. Shandel L. Mohr was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and sentenced on December 3, 2024, to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison. Quo Vadis Lewis was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine and possessing firearms as a felon and was sentenced on January 3, 2025, to 12 ½ years in federal prison. Shelby Gutch pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine on January 7, 2025, and entered into a 24-month diversion agreement. Troy C. Olsen was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine and was sentenced on January 8, 2025, to 45 months in federal prison. Tommie Haney, Edwin Lewis, and Samuel A. Teague have all pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming months.
The charges against Gates were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Two Dane County Men in Federal Custody After Being Charged with Armed Robbery of Fitchburg BankRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced the unsealing of an indictment charging Parish Barbary-Wheatherby, 29, Madison, Wisconsin, and Daryle Shelton, 22, Windsor, Wisconsin, with armed bank robbery. The two men are also charged with brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The indictment alleges that they robbed a Fitchburg bank using a firearm on December 2, 2024. Barbary-Wheatherby is separately charged with possessing three firearms as a felon on December 19, 2024.
Shelton was arrested today in Windsor following a chase with police and made his initial appearance in federal court in Madison. When he was arrested, Shelton was found to be in possession of a loaded firearm. Barbary-Wheatherby was arrested in Fitchburg on December 19, 2024. Both men remain detained pending further proceedings.
If convicted of the armed bank robbery charge, Barbary-Wheatherby and Shelton each face maximum penalties of 25 years in prison. If convicted of the brandishing charge, the two men each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 7 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The felon in possession charge against Barbary-Wheatherby carries a maximum penalty of 15 years.
The charges against Barbary-Wheatherby and Shelton are the result of an investigation by the Fitchburg Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger is handling the prosecution.
You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Grand Jury Returns Two Drug-Related IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
HAYWARD MAN CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING METHAMPHETAMINE AND FENTANYL
Nathanial Z. Johnson, 33, Hayward, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution, possessing fentanyl intended for distribution, and maintaining a drug trafficking premises. The indictment alleges Johnson possessed the methamphetamine and fentanyl and maintained a drug trafficking premises on August 5, 2024.
If convicted of the count charging 50 grams of methamphetamine, Johnson faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. The fentanyl charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The charge of maintaining a drug trafficking premises also carries a maximum penalty of 20 years.
The charges against Johnson are the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Sawyer County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Hayward Police Department, and the Wisconsin State Patrol. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the investigation. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala is handling the case.
HOLMEN MAN CHARGED WITH METHAMPHETAMINE TRAFFICKING
Tyler J. Beeler, 33, Holmen, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution. The indictment alleges that Beeler possessed the methamphetamine on or about August 20, 2024.
If convicted, Beeler faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Stelljes is handling the case.
Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced to 16 Years for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Joshua Sherwood, 34, of Arpin, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 195 months in federal prison for receiving child pornography. This term of imprisonment will be followed by 25 years of supervised release. Sherwood pleaded guilty to this charge on November 4, 2024.
Shortly after being released from state prison for possessing child pornography, Sherwood began reaching out to minor girls across the country, manipulating them into producing sexually explicit images for him by sending them money and items from their Amazon wish lists. When the girls refused to send him additional explicit images, he threatened to either send the images he had to the victims’ parents or to kill himself.
In choosing a 16-year sentence, Judge Conley observed that Sherwood was willing to directly exploit his young victims, seemingly enjoying the manipulation. Judge Conley saw no awareness from the defendant of the damage that he regularly caused and noted that Sherwood’s descent was so far, it will be difficult to change.
The charge against Sherwood was the result of an investigation conducted by the Smyrna, Tennessee Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Marshfield Police Department, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, and the New Lisbon Correctional Institution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Wausau Man Sentenced to 12 ½ Years for Leading Methamphetamine and Cocaine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Quo Vadis Lewis, 40, Wausau, Wisconsin, was sentenced on January 3, 2025, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 150 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine. He was also sentenced for possessing firearms as a felon. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Lewis pleaded guilty to these charges on October 9, 2024.
In February 2022, Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force officers began investigating a methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking organization operating in Wausau, Wisconsin. The multi-year investigation involved the seizure of drug-laden packages from the mail, controlled purchases of narcotics, and seizures of firearms and large quantities of drugs from residence searches. From the investigation, officers believe the drug trafficking organization was distributing kilograms quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine.
Quo Vadis Lewis, as well as Tommie Haney, were identified as the local leaders of the drug trafficking organization. Lewis was responsible, in part, for bringing in large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine to the Wausau area from out-of-state drug suppliers. One of the ways the drugs were brought into Wisconsin was through the mail. The investigation showed that a series of packages were mailed from California to addresses associated with Lewis in Wausau during 2021 and 2022. In March 2022, US Postal Inspectors seized two 11-pound packages sent from California to Lewis’ apartment. One of the packages was searched and contained approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine.
On June 28, 2023, officers with the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force executed search warrants at the residences of some of the primary members of the drug trafficking organization, including Lewis. Officers found three handguns, a loaded extended magazine, quantities of ammunition, cash, and an ounce of cocaine at Lewis’ residence. Officers found additional drugs and a gun during the search of the coconspirators’ residences. Evidence of Lewis’ DNA was found on all three of the firearms found at his residence. He is prohibited from legally possessing firearms and ammunition because of multiple prior felony convictions.
At sentencing, Judge Conley highlighted that Lewis played a key role as a leader of a drug trafficking organization involved with “incredible” quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine. Judge Conley determined that a significant sentence for Lewis was necessary to protect the public.
Eight others were also charged in connection with this drug trafficking organization. Teala L. Kumbera was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and sentenced on November 14, 2024, to 54 months in federal prison. Shandel L. Mohr was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and sentenced on December 3, 2024, to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison. Tommie Haney, Edwin Lewis, Craig C. Gates, and Troy A. Olsen have all pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming months. Samuel A. Teague is scheduled to enter a guilty plea on January 6, 2025, and Shelby Gutch is scheduled to enter a guilty plea on January 7, 2025.
The charges against Lewis were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Everest Metro Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations.
Connecticut Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Grandparent SchemeRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Matthew Ramos-Soto, 27, Hartford, Connecticut, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 41 months in federal prison for his role in a wire fraud scheme targeting elderly victims. Ramos-Soto pled guilty to the charge on April 4, 2024. He was also ordered to pay restitution.
Ramos-Soto was part of a network of individuals perpetrating related grandparent schemes across the United States. Coconspirators operating outside the United States called elderly victims posing as a relative or relative’s attorney. Victims were told that their relative had been arrested for causing an accident that severely injured or killed another person. Victims were asked to provide bail money in cash so their relative could be released immediately.
Once victims obtained the funds, a courier posing as a bail bondsman picked up the funds from the victims’ residences. Defendant was one of the couriers posing as a bail bondsman. Between October 24, 2022, and October 28, 2022, Ramos-Soto and the other couriers picked up more than $250,000 from victims throughout Wisconsin.
Law enforcement was able to identify Ramos-Soto and he was ultimately arrested attempting to pick up money from a victim in Ottawa County, Michigan, on June 28, 2023. A subsequent search of Ramos-Soto’s cellphone data showed that from October 11, 2022, through his arrest on June 28, 2023, he picked up money from victims in 18 different locations around the United States.
Additional federal cases against this fraud network have been brought in the District of Vermont, District of Rhode Island, Southern District of California, Western District of Pennsylvania, Central District of Illinois, and the Western District of Kentucky.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson described the crime as “cruel and devastating,” acknowledging the significant financial and emotional impact on the victims. Judge Peterson also said that with the sentence, he hoped to deter Ramos-Soto and others from engaging in these types of schemes in the future.
“Unfortunately, scams targeting the elderly or vulnerable are proliferating. If someone demands money over the phone or internet, always reach out to a trusted advisor, law enforcement agency, or the fraud hotlines described below,” said U.S. Attorney O’Shea. “My office is committed to working with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who target vulnerable individuals for financial gain.”
“The Wisconsin Department of Justice is committed to combating scams and holding perpetrators accountable,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “Thank you to the law enforcement officers from a number of different agencies who assisted with this investigation.”
“I want to acknowledge the many local and state law enforcement partners who worked to bring this perpetrator to justice,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Michael Hensle. “Elder fraud preys upon the vulnerabilities of our senior citizens and inflicts financial and emotional harm. The FBI will continue to work with our partners to investigate those who commit these crimes.”
If you suspect fraud has occurred or been attempted, report it to authorities so that those who commit fraud can be identified. The U.S. Justice Department operates the National Elder Fraud Hotline which can be reached at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311), which is staffed by case managers who provide personalized support to callers. Wisconsin residents can also contact their local police department or the Wisconsin Elder Abuse Hotline at 1-833-586-0107.
The charge against Ramos-Soto was the result of an investigation led by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, following a Statewide Crime Alert by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office that connected several investigations across Wisconsin. The other Wisconsin agencies involved in the investigation are the Outagamie, Shawano, Manitowoc, and Brown County Sheriffs’ Offices; and the New Lisbon, Wrightstown, Fitchburg, Reedsburg, Randolph, Fox Valley Metro, Hobart Lawrence, Green Bay, Oshkosh, and Fond du Lac Police Departments. Law enforcement in Ottawa County, Ionia County, and Kent County in Michigan also assisted with the investigation. The government would also like to acknowledge the assistance provided by local, state, and federal victim/witness personnel. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Duchemin prosecuted the case.
Madison Man Sentenced to 14 Months for Passing Counterfeit $100 BillsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Alex J. Stubbs, 27, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 14 months in federal prison for passing counterfeit U.S. currency. Stubbs pleaded guilty to this charge on September 19, 2024. He was also ordered to pay $3,400 in restitution.
Between July and November 2023, Stubbs and codefendant Cornelius Stewart presented counterfeit $100 bills to more than three dozen merchants throughout Wisconsin. Stubbs and Stewart presented the phony bills when making small purchases, thereby receiving significant amounts of change in legitimate U.S. currency. Stewart manufactured the bills and gave them to Stubbs in exchange for legitimate currency.
Stewart pleaded guilty on December 9, 2024. His sentencing is scheduled for February 27, 2025.
The charges against Stubbs and Stewart were the result of an investigation conducted by Madison, Fitchburg, Sun Prairie, Cottage Grove, Cross Plains, Lake Mills, Marshall, Verona, Shorewood Hills, Tomah, Oconomowoc Police Departments, as well as the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Anderson prosecuted this case.
Grand Jury Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
THREE CHARGED WITH ILLEGALLY POSSESSING FIREARMS AS FELONS
In separate cases, two Wisconsin men and one Wisconsin woman are charged with illegally possessing firearms as felons.
Terrance Moore III, 27, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a loaded .40 caliber S&W handgun on June 8, 2024.
Dustin T. Cullins, 37, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson handgun and Sellier and Bellot .40 caliber ammunition, on July 1, 2024.
May X. Kong, 41, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a loaded SCCY CPX-2 9mm handgun on July 4, 2024.
If convicted, Moore, Cullins, and Kong each face a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
The charge against Moore is the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins is handling the case.
The charge against Cullins is the result of an investigation by the West Central Drug Task Force and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon is handling the case.
The charge against Kong is the result of an investigation conducted by the Eau Claire Police Department, the West Central Drug Taskforce, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins is handling the case.
MADISON MAN CHARGED FOR RECEIVING FIREARM WHILE UNDER INDICTMENT
Deovion Baker, 19, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with illegally receiving a firearm while under indictment for another felony offense. The indictment alleges that Baker received a Glock 23 .40 caliber handgun loaded with .40 caliber ammunition on November 17, 2024.
If convicted, Baker faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.
The charge against Baker is the result of investigation by the Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the case.
EAU CLAIRE MAN CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING METHAMPHETAMINE AND ILLEGALLY POSSESSING FIREARM AND AMMUNITION
John A. Soung, 47, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine intended for distribution and illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. The indictment alleges that Soung possessed the methamphetamine on July 11, 2024. The indictment further alleges that he possessed a Taurus 9mm handgun and Federal 9mm ammunition on July 12, 2024.
If convicted of the methamphetamine charge, Soung faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The firearms charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
The charges against Soung are the result of an investigation conducted by the Eau Claire Police Department, the West Central Drug Taskforce, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins is handling the case.
All cases involving firearms are brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Illinois Man Sentenced to 2 Years for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Dantrell T. Stevenson, 31, Matteson, Illinois, was sentenced on December 2, 2024, by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 2 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl. The prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Stevenson pleaded guilty to this charge on September 9, 2024.
The government’s investigation revealed a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was responsible for bringing over 4 kilograms of fentanyl pills into Madison from Arizona. Law enforcement began investigating the organization in January 2022, following the seizure of two mail packages that each contained a kilogram of fentanyl pills (almost 20,000 pills in total). Both packages were mailed by an individual in Arizona to addresses in Madison.
Between March and October 2022, undercover officers purchased fentanyl pills from members of the organization on twenty-three occasions in the Madison area. Stevenson was involved in ten of those drug sales. In October 2022, another mail package destined for members of the Madison drug organization was seized and contained 1.75 kilograms of fentanyl pills.
During Stevenson’s involvement in the case, he was on parole through the state of Illinois, following a firearms conviction.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson noted that while the quantities of fentanyl that Stevenson was selling were smaller than his co-defendants, he was an active dealer and his conduct was harmful to the community.
Five other defendants involved in this fentanyl trafficking operation were charged in a separate indictment and have already been sentenced. Dejon C. Glover was sentenced on May 16, 2024, to 4 ½ years in federal prison for attempting to possess fentanyl intended for distribution. Lloyd M. McKire-Bennett was sentenced on May 17, 2024, to more than 13 ½ years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possessing firearms and ammunition as a felon. Deshawn P. Davis was sentenced on May 22, 2024, to 5 ½ years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl. Yoshi R. Walker was sentenced on July 24, 2024, to 6 years in federal prison for attempting to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Christopher S. Wilson was sentenced on July 29, 2024, to 5 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
The charges against Stevenson and the other individuals were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS Criminal Investigations, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Dane County Narcotics Task Force. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the investigation. The task force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Onalaska Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Michael Wilson, 46, of Onalaska, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 57 months in federal prison for possessing fentanyl intended for distribution. Wilson pleaded guilty to this charge on September 11, 2024.
On July 21, 2022, Wilson sold fentanyl to an individual in La Crosse, Wisconsin during a delivery monitored by law enforcement. One week later, La Crosse police executed a search warrant at Wilson’s home in Onalaska. In one room of the home, police found drug packaging materials and a blender coated with white powder residue, near a digital scale used to weigh drugs. Concealed in the ceiling of the room, police located 96 grams of fentanyl and 83 grams of cocaine.
At the sentencing, Judge Conley stated that his decision on the appropriate sentence was influenced by Wilson’s long, repeated history of returning to drug trafficking after multiple state court convictions reaching back to the age of 17. Judge Conley stated that the 57-month sentence plus four years of supervision following that sentence was necessary to protect the public and allow Wilson the opportunity to earnestly address addiction problems that triggered the drug trafficking.
The charge against Wilson was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department and the Dubuque County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Anderson prosecuted this case.
Mexican Citizen Sentenced to 4 Months for Illegally Reentering the United States After Prior RemovalRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced Ulises Casterjon-Gallegos, 39, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 4 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after having previously been removed. Casterjon-Gallegos pleaded guilty to this charge on September 11, 2024.
On January 29, 2024, Casterjon-Gallegos was arrested in Barron County, Wisconsin for possessing methamphetamine. He was originally removed from the United States in 2008 and was subsequently removed four additional times prior to his recent drug arrest.
Judge Conley addressed Casterjon-Gallegos’s substance abuse issues and his prior conviction and arrests for domestic abuse. Judge Conley urged him to take a lengthy period of sobriety and to reevaluate his treatment of the women in his life. Judge Conley warned him that now that he has a conviction for illegal reentry, he would face much higher consequences should he illegally reenter the country again.
The charge against Casterjon-Gallegos was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the Barron County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon prosecuted this case.
Marshfield Woman Sentenced to Prison for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Shandel L. Mohr, 32, Marshfield, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to twelve months and one day in federal prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release. Mohr pleaded guilty to this charge on August 20, 2024.
In February 2022, Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force officers began investigating a methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking organization operating in Wausau, Wisconsin. The multi-year investigation involved the seizure of drug-laden packages from the mail, controlled purchases of narcotics, and seizures of firearms and large quantities of drugs from residence searches. From the investigation, officers believe the drug trafficking organization was distributing kilograms quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine.
Shandel Mohr was identified as a regional cocaine dealer for the drug trafficking organization in the Marshfield area. During the investigation, officers learned that the prior cocaine distributor in Marshfield had been arrested. Intercepted phone calls and communications revealed the leaders of the drug trafficking organization recruited Mohr and her friend to take over distribution in Marshfield. Mohr was ultimately arrested and admitted during her interview that she sold cocaine. During the time of the investigation and while she was distributing cocaine, Mohr was out on bond, and later convicted and placed on probation for a domestic abuse case.
At sentencing, Judge Conley found that Mohr joined a serious drug trafficking conspiracy and took over an important distribution point in Marshfield, even though it was for a shorter duration than many of her co-defendants.
Eight others were also charged in connection with this drug trafficking organization. Teala Kumbera was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and sentenced by Judge Conley on November 14, 2024, to 54 months in federal prison. Tommie Haney, Quo Vadis Lewis, Craig C. Gates, and Troy A. Olsen have all pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming months. Cases against Edwin Lewis, Samuel A. Teague, and Shelby Gutch are still pending and the three are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charge against Mohr was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Marathon County Sheriff's Office, Portage County Sheriff's Office, Everest Metro Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations.
Madison Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Possessing Fentanyl Intended for DistributionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Corvalis Stewart, 37, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 16 years in federal prison for possessing 400 or more grams of fentanyl intended for distribution. The prison term will be followed by 8 years of supervised release. Stewart pleaded guilty to this charge on September 1, 2024.
On the evening of February 8, 2024, Stewart and his codefendant Larry Williamson landed a rented Cessna 172 aircraft at the Middleton Municipal Airport, in Middleton, Wisconsin. Williamson was a private pilot who had rented the aircraft to fly to Phoenix, Arizona, to pick up drugs. Stewart was the passenger. Federal and state law enforcement received information about the flight and about Williamson and Stewart’s suspicious behavior in Arizona.
Law enforcement tracked the aircraft as it returned to Middleton and landed at approximately 10:55 p.m. Williamson and Stewart got out of the airplane and walked to the parking lot. Stewart was carrying three bags, which he put in the back of his vehicle. Law enforcement detained the men and searched the bags.
Two of the bags contained 19 pounds of methamphetamine. The third bag contained approximately 200,000 fentanyl pills known on the street as M30’s, which are counterfeit Oxycodone pills. This was the largest fentanyl seizure in Dane County, with an estimated street value of $2,000,000. The investigation revealed text messages showing that it was Stewart who arranged the drug pick up in Phoenix.
Judge Peterson remarked that this case involved a “startling quantity of drugs” and that fentanyl was the leading cause of overdoses. Judge Peterson found that additional aggravating factors were present in the case, including Stewart’s serious criminal history, the fact that he was on federal supervision at the time of this offense, and the fact that Stewart planned the crime.
Stewart has multiple felony convictions, including five convictions for gun- related offenses. At the time of this offense, Stewart was on federal supervision for a felon in possession of a firearm conviction. Stewart’s supervised release was also revoked at the sentencing and Judge Peterson sentenced him to 2 years in prison to run concurrently with the drug sentence.
Stewart’s co-defendant, Larry Williamson, pleaded guilty on June 18, 2024, to possessing 500 or more grams of methamphetamine intended for distribution. On October 31, 2024, Williamson was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.
The charges against Stewart and Williamson were the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, and the Middleton Police Department, with the assistance of the Air Marine Operations Center in Riverside, California. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office and ATF Highlight Emerging Threat Posed by Machinegun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin and the ATF Madison Field Office are joining together to highlight the dangers of machinegun conversion devices (MCDs). The devices are an emerging threat, and law enforcement agents are increasingly finding them in Wisconsin.
About an inch-long, an MCD is an illegal after-market device that converts a semi-automatic firearm into a fully functioning machinegun. A firearm equipped with a machinegun conversion device is extremely dangerous, even for experienced firearms users, because it is difficult to control and is capable of firing 50 rounds in four seconds with a single pull of the trigger. For more information about the devices, please see the attached ATF materials and video link below.
“Machinegun conversion devices are extraordinarily dangerous,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea. “These devices are often used in weapons that are not designed to function as machine guns, thus making the weapons incredibly difficult to aim. Discharging a weapon equipped with such a device in a public area endangers every child and adult within range. Keeping these illegal devices off the streets in Wisconsin and keeping our citizens free of fear from these weapons is one of my highest priorities,” said O’Shea.
“The proliferation of machinegun conversion devices adds another, even more deadly, layer to firearms violence” said Special Agent William Fulton, Resident Agent in Charge of the ATF Madison Field Office. “These devices, in the wrong hands, can have catastrophic consequences. ATF will continue to aggressively work with our partners to take these devices off the streets.”
“Machinegun conversion devices pose a significant threat to public safety,” said Eric Rice, resident agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations in Wisconsin. “Through enforcement, investigation, and education, we are committed to raising awareness about the dangers of these devices. Law enforcement agencies will continue to collaborate to dismantle networks involved in their distribution and use. By enhancing our investigative capabilities and educating the public about the risks, we can better protect our communities and ensure public safety.”
To combat the rise in MCDs, U.S. Attorney O’Shea also announced that his office is partnering with law enforcement agencies, including ATF, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the U.S. Postal Service to implement a district-wide strategy. On November 21, 2024, U.S. Attorney O’Shea and ATF SA Fulton explained the district’s strategy on a call with Wisconsin law enforcement and district attorneys. The strategy has three parts: enforcement, investigation, and education.
Regarding enforcement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will vigorously prosecute cases involving MCDs. Although MCDs may be advertised as legal online to avoid law enforcement detection or to defeat internet advertising protocols, that is not true. The possession, manufacture, and/or sale of MCDs is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000. An MCD on its own is considered an illegal machine gun under federal law and cannot be possessed, even without a firearm.]
Regarding investigation, U.S. Attorney O’Shea explained that ATF has provided MCD guides for local law enforcement agencies and will provide training on MCDs and ATF resources throughout the state. Also, because many MCDs are shipped through the U.S. Mail and other carriers, the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Service are working with ATF to identify for further investigation packages potentially containing MCDs that were shipped to individuals involved in gun violence or affiliated with criminal gangs.
Finally, regarding the education part of the strategy, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and ATF are reaching out to local media, Crime Stoppers groups, and local public health departments to get the word out about the danger of MCDs.
During 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has prosecuted the following cases involving MCDs. Several more MCD cases are under investigation. Federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
NameSentence Investigating AgenciesByron Ellison3.5 yearsDane County Narcotics Task Force
ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force
Byron D. Broomfield
6.5 yearsBeloit Police Department
DCI
Drug Enforcement Administration
Wisconsin State Patrol
ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force
Damarion Jackson21 monthsMonona Police Department
Madison Police Department
Fitchburg Police Department
ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force
Ramogi Carr54 monthsMadison Police Department
Fitchburg Police Department
ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force
Jontrae M. LarsenCase pendingATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force
DCI
Waunakee Police Department
Deforest Police Department
Monona Police Department
Donald R. Spivey, Jr.Case pendingMadison Police Department
ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force
Damon L. ClarkCase pendingEau Claire Police Department
FBI
ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force
Attachment:
ATF Factsheet.pdf
atf_fact_sheet_machinegun_conversion_devices_switches_osiicid-22-118.pdfATF Video can be found here:
https://youtu.be/7VKocW4Qk4k
# # # #
Mississippi Man Sentenced to 8.5 Years for Traveling to Wisconsin to Assault 12-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Reginal Wright, 38, Indianola, Mississippi, was sentenced November 22, 2024, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 102 months in prison for traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. The term of imprisonment will be followed by a 10-year term of supervised release. Wright pleaded guilty to this charge on August 20, 2024.
On November 7, 2023, Wright traveled to Madison and picked up a 12-year-old girl from her foster home. Wright sexually assaulted the girl while in Wisconsin and then later in Tennessee and Florida. Law enforcement was later able to track the girl’s location and eventually recovered her from a Greyhound Bus traveling from Florida to Atlanta.
At sentencing, Judge Conley found that Wright took advantage of a child for his own sexual gratification. Judge Conley also noted the “gaping age difference” between Wright and the child, who Judge Conley described as vulnerable and clearly childlike. Judge Conley said that Wright made a “sordid decision” and caused the child trauma that she may not fully understand until later.
The charge against Wright was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Florida Highway Patrol, Wisconsin State Patrol, Medley Florida Police Department, Fort Pierce Florida Police Department, Cocoa Florida Police Department, Lake City Florida Police Department, and the Columbia County Florida Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Madison Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Deonte L. Turner, 32, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 63 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Turner pleaded guilty to this charge on September 4, 2024. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
In September 2023, law enforcement found a loaded Sig Sauer handgun along with an extended magazine containing 21 rounds of ammunition in a backpack in a parked vehicle. Turner initially denied riding in the vehicle or possessing the backpack, but surveillance video showed Turner getting out of the vehicle, and Turner was further connected to the gun through DNA testing. At the time of this offense, Turner was on supervised release following a 2020 federal conviction for illegally possessing a firearm.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson expressed his disappointment that Turner had not used the resources afforded by federal probation to turn his life around and had quickly reoffended by committing a highly similar crime. Judge Peterson also noted the danger Turner’s illegal firearm possession posed to Turner and his family, as well as the community, amplified by the fact that Turner possessed the gun while dealing drugs.
The charge against Turner was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consisting of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. United States Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Stelljes prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Madison Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Simmeka M. Tibbs, 37, of Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on November 19, 2024, by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to a year and a half in federal prison for distributing fentanyl. The prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Tibbs pled guilty to this charge on August 15, 2024.
Between December 2023 and February 2024, co-defendant Lildre Brown arranged to distribute fentanyl laced heroin on three separate occasions in the Madison area. On one of these occasions, Brown sent co-defendant Nicole Sanders to deliver almost 100 grams of fentanyl. On the two other occasions, Tibbs delivered the fentanyl for Brown. The investigation revealed that Tibbs regularly delivered drugs for Brown.
At Tibbs’ sentencing, Judge Peterson emphasized the seriousness of Tibbs regularly distributing drugs containing fentanyl, an extremely dangerous drug. Judge Peterson also found it very concerning that on one occasion, Tibbs brought a young child with her to the drug delivery.
On November 7, 2024, Brown was sentenced to 85 months in prison. Sanders is scheduled to be sentenced on January 10, 2025.
The charges against Brown, Tibbs, and Sanders were the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Rock County Sheriff’s Office, Madison Police Department, and the Markham Illinois Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins prosecuted this case.
Grand Jury Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments yesterday. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Bayfield Man Charged With Distributing Child Pornography
Lance Andrews, 46, Bayfield, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing child pornography. The indictment alleges that on September 24, 2024, Andrews uploaded a video of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, into a Chatroom dedicated to the rape of infants and toddlers.
If convicted, Andrews faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
The charge against him is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Ashland Police Department, Bayfield County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman is handling the case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Three Dane County Men Charged With Illegally Possessing Firearms
In separate cases, three Dane County men are charged with illegally possessing firearms as felons. Under federal law, individuals with prior felony convictions cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Joseph T. Harrison, 35, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with illegally possessing a Beretta .22 caliber handgun on or about April 9, 2024.
Curtis White III, 21, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, is charged with illegally possessing a loaded Sarsilmaz 9mm handgun and 9mm ammunition on September 30, 2024.
Bobby D. Clayton, 44, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with illegally possessing firearms and ammunition as a felon. The indictment alleges that on July 26, 2022, Clayton possessed a loaded Hi-Point C9 9mm handgun. The indictment further alleges that on June 2, 2024, Clayton possessed a loaded Taurus PT-58 .380 caliber handgun and two brands of .380 caliber ammunition.
If convicted, Harrison and White each face a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Clayton faces maximum penalties of 15 years in prison on each gun charge.
The charge against Harrison is the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department, ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, and the Wisconsin State Crime Lab. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the case.
The charge against White is the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force and the Fitchburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wagner is handling the case.
The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments.
The charge against Clayton is the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the case.
All cases involving firearms are brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Illinois Man Charged With Distributing Fentanyl
Michael Greer, 44, Loves Park, Illinois, is charged with distributing fentanyl. The indictment alleges that Greer distributed 40 grams or more of fentanyl on July 25, 2024, and August 8, 2024.
If convicted, Greer faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison on each distribution charge.
The charges against Greer are the result of investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Rock County Sheriff’s Office, and the Winnebago County, Illinois, Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus is handling the case.
Price County Man Charged With Defrauding Federal Crop Insurance Program
Lance G. Meier, 52, Ogema, Wisconsin, is charged with defrauding the federal crop insurance program. The indictment alleges that on September 30, 2019, Meier submitted a fraudulent Wells Fargo bank statement to the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation in connection with reinstating his crop insurance.
If convicted, Meier faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
The charge against Meier is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Stelljes is handling the case.
Rice Lake Man Charged with Methamphetamine Trafficking Offenses
David Anderson Jr., 34, Rice Lake, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing methamphetamine, possessing methamphetamine intended for distribution, and maintaining a drug trafficking premises. The indictment alleges that Anderson distributed methamphetamine on April 8, 2024, and April 17, 2024. The indictment also alleges that Anderson possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution on April 19, 2024. The indictment finally alleges that Anderson maintained a drug trafficking residence in Rice Lake from April 8, 2024, to on or about April 19, 2024.
If convicted of the charge involving 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, Anderson faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. The charges involving distribution and maintaining a drug trafficking premises each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The charges against Anderson are the result of an investigation by the Barron County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Glinzak is handling the case.
Madison Man Charged with Firearms Offenses and Possessing Heroin Intended for Distribution
Patrick T. Bishop, 30, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing 100 grams or more of heroin intended for distribution, possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The indictment alleges that Bishop possessed the heroin on July 31, 2024, on the same day that he possessed a loaded Glock 23 .40 caliber handgun and CBC Smith and Wesson .40 caliber ammunition. The indictment further alleges that Bishop possessed the Glock handgun in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime.
If convicted of the heroin charge, Bishop faces a minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. If convicted of the felon-in-possession charge, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. If convicted of the charge alleging that he possessed a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime, he faces a minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life, and the sentence imposed must run consecutively to any other prison term.
The charges against Bishop are the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force and the Madison Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon is handling the case.
Indiana Man Sentenced to 21 Months for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Damarion Jackson, 21, Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 21 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Jackson pleaded guilty to this charge on August 28, 2024.
On November 4, 2023, Jackson was a passenger in a high-speed car chase in Monona, Wisconsin. Police officers were able to disable the car, forcing the driver to stop. Jackson fled on foot carrying a small bag. Officers found Jackson hiding between two residential fences with the bag nearby. In the bag there was a loaded Glock 29 10mm handgun with an extended magazine and equipped with a machinegun conversion device.
A machinegun conversion device is an illegal after-market device that converts a semi-automatic handgun into a fully functioning machinegun. A handgun with a machinegun conversion device is extremely dangerous, even for experienced firearms users, because it is difficult to control and is capable of firing 50 rounds in four seconds with a single pull of the trigger.
Jackson is not legally permitted to possess firearms or ammunition because of a prior felony conviction.
At sentencing, Judge Conley commented on Jackson’s escalating conduct and the dangers of having a handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device. Judge Conley also noted that Jackson had “started a criminal lifestyle” at a young age, but expressed hope that this conviction would be a turning point for Jackson.
The charge against Jackson was the result of an investigation conducted by the Monona, Madison, and Fitchburg Police Departments. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the investigation. The task force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Glinzak prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Schofield Woman Sentenced to 4 ½ Years for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Teala L. Kumbera, 27, Schofield, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 4 ½ years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Kumbera pleaded guilty to this charge on August 16, 2024.
In February 2022, Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force officers began investigating a methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking organization operating in Wausau, Wisconsin. The multi-year investigation involved the seizure of drug-laden packages from the mail, controlled purchases of narcotics, and seizures of firearms and large quantities of drugs from residence searches. From the investigation, officers believe the drug trafficking organization was distributing kilograms quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine.
Teala Kumbera was identified as a main local distributor of cocaine for one of the leaders of the organization. From intercepted phone calls, officers found that she was picking up cocaine every few days to sell. She was later interviewed following her arrest and admitted to regularly selling cocaine for the past six to twelve months.
While distributing cocaine in this case, Kumbera was on state supervision for two prior methamphetamine trafficking cases. Kumbera’s state supervision has since been revoked and she was sentenced to 2 years and 3 months in state prison. Kumbera was also convicted of cocaine trafficking in state court for conduct that occurred during the course of this investigation. She was sentenced to 2 years in state prison in that case to run concurrently with her revocation sentences. Judge Conley ordered that this federal sentence run concurrently with the remainder of Kumbera’s state sentences.
In announcing the sentence, Judge Conley highlighted Kumbera’s prior criminal history as well her serious conduct in this case, which involved her regularly obtaining significant quantities of cocaine for resale.
Eight others were also charged in connection with this drug trafficking organization. Quo Vadis Lewis, Craig C. Gates, Troy A. Olsen, and Shandell Mohr have all pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming months. Tommie L. Haney is scheduled to enter a guilty plea on December 2, 2024. Cases against Edwin Lewis, Samuel A. Teague, and Shelby Gutch are still pending and the three are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charge against Kumbera was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Marathon County Sheriff's Office, Portage County Sheriff's Office, Everest Metro Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations.
Middleton Woman Sentenced to Prison for Straw Purchasing Firearm Used in Murder SuicideRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Shawna Tantillo, 34, Middleton, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 18 months in federal prison for straw purchasing a firearm. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Tantillo pled guilty to this charge on August 13, 2024.
“Straw purchasing” is when a gun buyer lies to a firearms dealer to purchase a gun for someone else. Most often straw purchases occur either because the straw buyer can pass the required background check and the actual buyer cannot, or because the actual buyer wants to avoid having their name associated with the gun transaction. Straw purchasing is a federal crime that can result in up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. It’s a serious threat to public safety because it undermines background check laws and contributes to the illegal gun market. Guns purchased through straw purchases can end up in the hands of minors or convicted felons. Guns purchased through straw purchases are often used to commit violent crimes, as was the situation in the Tantillo case.
On December 8, 2024, Tantillo purchased a firearm from a federal firearms licensee. As required by law, she completed the background check which included filling out a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Form 4473. On that form, she attested that she was the actual purchaser. However, Tantillo was in fact purchasing the gun for her friend. Tantillo’s friend was originally identified in the indictment as “Person 1,” but in the government’s recently unsealed sentencing memorandum, “Person 1” is further identified by her initials, J.J. Tantillo purchased the gun for J.J. despite knowing that J.J. could not legally purchase or possess a gun because of a prior felony conviction. J.J. paid Tantillo for the gun, plus an additional $150. On February 18, 2024, J.J. used the gun to shoot the father of her children, shoot and kill her children, and then take her own life.
“The tragic facts of this case reinforce the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to prosecuting ‘straw purchase’ cases” said U.S. Attorney Timothy O’Shea. “Stopping straw buyers and illegal firearms trafficking is the first line of defense against gun violence. It is a federal crime to lie to a gun dealer to buy a gun for someone else. If you do so, you will be prosecuted, and your best-case scenario is a felony conviction; the worst-case scenario is that you go to prison and that someone is hurt or killed. If a friend or relative asks you to lie to a gun dealer to try to buy a gun for them, don’t do it,” O’Shea said.
“An unthinkable crime was made possible because Ms. Tantillo purchased a firearm for someone who was legally prohibited from owning a firearm,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle, of the St. Paul Field Division. “Ms. Tantillo may have had no awareness of the future crimes to be committed with the firearm she purchased, but she should have questioned why she was being asked to purchase it. A person who can legally possess firearms wouldn’t be asking for this type of favor. I hope this case can be a stark warning to others who might consider purchasing a firearm for a prohibited person.”
“The events surrounding this incident had an enormous impact on many in our community,“ said Middleton Police Chief Troy Hellenbrand. “This incident also showcases how serious law enforcement agencies take straw purchases which lead to violent crimes in our communities. Although we are unable to bring back the beautiful lives who were lost in this tragic incident, the court system worked as designed in finding Ms. Tantillo responsible for the purchase and sale of a gun which was used in these homicides. The Middleton Police Department would like to thank our various law enforcement partners who assisted in this investigation and subsequent arrest and conviction of Ms. Tantillo,” said Hellenbrand.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Conley said that straw purchases, particularly when the firearm is given to a prohibited person, are a serious offense. Judge Conley found that although there is no evidence that Tantillo knew J.J. was going to use the gun to shoot her children and their father, her actions were intended to circumvent the nation’s gun laws and the sentence reflected the tragic outcome.
The charge against Tantillo was the result of an investigation conducted by the Middleton and Fitchburg Police Departments. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the investigation. The task force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
McFarland Man Sentenced to Prison for Lying to Illegally Purchase FirearmsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Erik Smay, 45, McFarland, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 3 months in federal prison for making a false statement during the purchase of firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Smay pleaded guilty to this charge on August 29, 2024.
In 2022, Smay purchased several firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers in and around Madison, Wisconsin. Law enforcement found some of the firearms that Smay purchased were used by others to facilitate crimes in the area. On January 23, 2024, law enforcement interviewed Smay about his firearms purchases, and he admitted to lying to the firearms dealers when asked about his unlawful drug use and addictions. During each purchase, Smay certified his answers to the federal firearms dealers were true, correct, and complete.
At sentencing, Judge Conley found a custodial sentence was necessary to disrupt Smay’s polysubstance addictions given his challenges complying with his release conditions during this case. Judge Conley acknowledged Smay’s extensive history battling addictions made him vulnerable to exploitation by those prohibited from possessing firearms. Judge Conley asserted Smay was likely trading firearms to support a drug habit, which highlighted the poignance of asking firearms purchasers about their possible unlawful drug use or addictions.
The charge against Smay was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Fitchburg Police Department, McFarland Police Department, and DeForest Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also investigated the case. The task force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.
Illinois Man Sentenced to over 7 Years for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Lildre S. Brown, 36, Markham, Illinois, was sentenced November 7, 2024, by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 85 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl. The prison term will be followed by 6 years of supervised release. Brown pled guilty to this charge on July 18, 2024.
Between December 2023 and February 2024, Brown distributed fentanyl laced heroin on three separate occasions in the Madison area. On one of these occasions, Brown sent co-defendant Nicole Sanders to deliver almost 100 grams of fentanyl. On the two other occasions, co-defendant Simmeka Tibbs delivered the fentanyl for Brown. As part of the investigation, agents executed a search warrant at Sanders’ residence and found another 72 grams of fentanyl in the trunk of her car.
At the time of these offenses, Brown was on supervised release from a previous federal drug conviction. Judge Peterson revoked that supervision and imposed a two-year prison term. Both sentences will be served at the same time.
At Brown’s sentencing, Judge Peterson highlighted that Brown continued to sell drugs while on federal supervision. Judge Peterson was also concerned by the amount of fentanyl involved and by the fact that Brown involved others in his criminal activities.
All three defendants who were charged in this trafficking scheme have pled guilty. Tibbs will be sentenced on November 19, 2024, and Sanders on November 22, 2024.
The charges against Brown, Tibbs, and Sanders were the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Rock County Sheriff’s Office, Madison Police Department, and the Markham Illinois Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins prosecuted this case.
Wausau Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Possessing Methamphetamine Intended for DistributionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jonathan Rodriguez, 39, Wausau, Wisconsin, was sentenced November 6, 2024, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 8 years in federal prison for possessing methamphetamine intended for distribution. Rodriguez pleaded guilty to this charge on August 9, 2024.
Law enforcement received a tip that Rodriguez had in his possession, a significant amount of methamphetamine. Officers located Rodriguez in downtown Wausau and ultimately searched him. He had 319 grams of methamphetamine, some of which was pre-packaged for distribution. Rodriguez also admitted that he had sold about a pound of methamphetamine hours before his arrest.
At sentencing, Judge Conley commented on Rodriguez’s criminal history and how he spent about half his life incarcerated without making changes. In deciding upon a sentence, Judge Conley balanced Rodriguez’s criminal record with his difficult upbringing.
The charge against Rodriguez was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wausau Police Department and the Marathon County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Glinzak prosecuted this case.
Waunakee Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Possessing Methamphetamine Intended for DistributionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Larry D. Williamson 36, Waunakee, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 12 years in federal prison for possessing 500 or more grams of methamphetamine intended for distribution. Williamson pleaded guilty to this charge on June 18, 2024. The prison term will be followed by 8 years of supervised release.
On the evening of February 8, 2024, Williamson and his codefendant Corvalis Stewart landed a rented Cessna 172 aircraft at the Middleton Municipal Airport, in Middleton, Wisconsin. Williamson was a private pilot who had rented the aircraft to fly to Phoenix, Arizona, to pick up drugs. Stewart was the passenger.
Federal and state law enforcement received information about the flight and about Williamson and Stewart’s suspicious behavior in Arizona. Law enforcement tracked the aircraft as it returned to Middleton and landed at approximately 10:55 p.m. Williamson and Stewart got out of the airplane and walked to the parking lot. Stewart was carrying three bags which he put in the back of his vehicle. Law enforcement detained the men and searched the bags.
Two of the bags contained 19 pounds of methamphetamine, and in one were travel receipts from a recent trip that Williamson took. The third bag contained approximately 200,000 fentanyl pills known on the street as M30’s, which are counterfeit Oxycodone pills. This was the largest fentanyl seizure in Dane County, with an estimated street value of $2,000,000.
“This was a brazen effort to introduce a large quantity of methamphetamine and thousands of deadly fentanyl pills into our Dane County community,” said Timothy M. O’Shea, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. “I commend our federal and state law enforcement partners for their coordinated efforts to quickly identify the suspicious flight and apprehend the individuals involved.”
“The sentencing of these drug traffickers is a decisive victory in our fight against organized crime. Their brazen attempts to evade justice by crossing state lines in an airplane only highlight their disregard for the law. This outcome underscores our unwavering commitment to dismantle such networks,” said HSI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Sean Fitzgerald. “The success of this operation was made possible through the tireless efforts and cooperation of local law enforcement agencies. Together, we have shown that no matter the lengths criminals go to escape justice, they will be held accountable."
At sentencing, Judge Peterson characterized the amount of fentanyl involved in the case as staggering. Noting the large quantity and the especially dangerous nature of fentanyl, Judge Peterson determined that a significant sentence was warranted. Judge Peterson also found that Williamson was an active courier who solicited drug trips to make more money.
Williamson’s co-defendant, Corvalis Stewart, pleaded guilty on September 11, 2024, to possessing 400 or more grams of fentanyl intended for distribution. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 4, 2024, and faces a minimum of 10 years in prison.
The charges against Williamson and Stewart were the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, and the Middleton Police Department, with the assistance of the Air Marine Operations Center in Riverside, California. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
U.S. Attorney Announces That Federal Justice Department Will Monitor Federal Voting Rights Compliance in Wisconsin for November 5 ElectionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, Timothy M. O’Shea, announced today that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in several areas of the Western District, including the Town of Lawrence, Town of Thornapple, and the City of Wausau.
The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin, or religion.
On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will also be available while the polls are open to receive complaints on Election Day at 608-250-5488.
Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov.
Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.
More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
Marathon County Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Shawn Hignite, Sr., 50, Weston, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 3 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Hignite pleaded guilty to this charge on August 1, 2024.
On January 30, 2024, police responded to a domestic incident involving a gunshot. When they arrived, police made contact with Hignite, who initially denied there was a gunshot. Police later obtained a search warrant and located a loaded handgun inside the house and a spent shell casing in the backyard. Hignite later admitted that the gun belonged to him and that he fired it that night. Hignite is legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to prior felony convictions.
At sentencing, Judge Conley acknowledged the dismal history of Hignite consuming alcohol and committing crimes. He noted that Hignite’s last 30 years have been plagued by poor decision making with either a fascination or compulsion with possessing firearms. Judge Conley expressed disappointment with the pattern of firearms being present in each of Hignite’s prior offenses. He also expressed hope that the sentence would deter Hignite from committing offenses in the future.
The charge against Hignite was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Everest Metro Police Department, Rothschild Police Department, and Marathon County Sheriff’s Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also investigated the case. The task force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Madison Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Tyez D. D. Boyd, 27, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 3 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Boyd pleaded guilty to this charge on August 14, 2024.
On November 17, 2022, Madison Police Department officers stopped a vehicle in Madison on suspicion that its occupants were engaged in drug trafficking. Officers had intercepted a phone call earlier in the day between the front seat passenger, Davonte King, and a known fentanyl pill dealer setting up a drug deal. Tyez Boyd was a passenger in the rear seat.
Officers took King out of the vehicle and found he was in possession of fentanyl pills, cocaine, and over $1,000 in cash. Officers also found a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun under the front passenger seat where King had been seated. King is prohibited from legally possessing firearms because of a prior felony conviction.
Officers searched Boyd after he got out of the vehicle and found a loaded Kahr .45 caliber handgun in his pocket. Boyd is prohibited from legally possessing firearms because of multiple prior felony convictions. At the time of the stop, Boyd was on state probation for two cases, one involving a strangulation conviction and one involving a domestic violence conviction. Boyd also had three open criminal cases at the time, each of which involved acts of violence. Boyd had two active warrants for his arrest as well. His state probation has since been revoked and he was sentenced to 18 months in state prison on January 27, 2023.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson said Boyd’s possession of a firearm was dangerous by itself, especially when he was carrying it into a dangerous situation with a drug trafficker. Judge Peterson found Boyd’s case was aggravated by his criminal history, which included instances of domestic violence, as well as his history of noncompliance while on supervision. Finally, Judge Peterson said this crime deserved a 4-year sentence but reduced that sentence for time he had already served on his multiple state revocation sentences.
Co-defendant Davonte King pleaded guilty to possessing fentanyl intended for distribution and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced by Judge Peterson on September 5, 2024, to 7 years in federal prison.
The charges against Boyd and King were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS Criminal Investigations, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Dane County Narcotics Task Force. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also investigated the case. The task force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. The Dane County District Attorney’s Office assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Eau Claire Man Sentenced to 2 Years for Trafficking Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Mario R. Aviles, 27, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was sentenced October 30, 2024 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 2 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine. That prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Aviles pleaded guilty to this charge on July 16, 2024.
The government’s investigation revealed that Hector Jimenez-Sosa was the leader of a methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine trafficking organization in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He received large quantities of controlled substances through the mail from his sources in California. Between August and October 2023, law enforcement officers purchased methamphetamine and fentanyl pills from Jimenez-Sosa and his associates on multiple occasions using a confidential informant. The drug sales took place at two workshops operated by Jimenez-Sosa.
Aviles, Jimenez-Sosa’s nephew, was identified as an important member of Jimenez-Sosa’s organization. Aviles sold drugs himself and was also present when Jimenez-Sosa sold drugs. For example, on September 19, 2023, a confidential informant purchased 60 grams of methamphetamine and 20 fentanyl pills from Aviles at Jimenez-Sosa’s shops in Eau Claire. On October 3, 2023, the confidential informant purchased an additional 20 fentanyl pills from Aviles at one of Jimenez-Sosa’s shops. During that drug sale, the confidential informant and Aviles talked about the prior methamphetamine sale as well as a potential future deal for a larger quantity of methamphetamine.
On December 8, 2023, Jimenez-Sosa was arrested at his residence and Aviles was arrested at one of Jimenez-Sosa’s shops. Search warrants were executed at Jimenez-Sosa’s residence and shops. Officers located cocaine, marijuana, ammunition, and drug trafficking supplies.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that Aviles’ growing contribution to his uncle’s drug trafficking organization was significant and he arrived at the sentence after weighing Aviles’ conduct against his lack of prior criminal record among other mitigating factors.
Co-defendant Hector Jimenez-Sosa pleaded guilty to distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced by Judge Conley on September 25, 2024, to 10 years in federal prison.
The charges against Aviles and Jimenez-Sosa were the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force, Eau Claire Police Department, Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and United States Postal Inspection Service. The Eau Claire County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Eau Claire Man Sentenced to 5 1/2 Years for Illegally Possessing Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Damon L. Clark, 26, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 5 ½ years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Clark pleaded guilty to this charge on August 20, 2024.
On January 1, 2024, Eau Claire Police Officers were dispatched to a bar in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, for reports that someone pointed a firearm at another individual during a fight. Witness reports and video surveillance identified Clark as the individual who pointed the firearm. When law enforcement arrived, Clark fled to an adjacent parking lot. Law enforcement arrested Clark and located a loaded Glock 19 handgun with a 31-round magazine under a nearby vehicle. The handgun had a machinegun conversion device installed, which is an illegal, after-market attachment that converts a semi-automatic handgun into a machinegun. With the attachment, a handgun is capable of firing approximately 50 rounds in four seconds with a single pull of the trigger. The Wisconsin State Crime Lab confirmed Clark’s DNA was present on the firearm. Clark is prohibited from legally possessing firearms and ammunition because of prior felony convictions.
At sentencing, Judge Conley characterized Clark’s behavior as disastrous and emphasized the danger that he posed by pointing a fully loaded machinegun with extended magazine at someone outside a bar with other patrons present. Judge Conley balanced the extremely aggravated nature of this offense with Clark’s lack of prior prison experience. Judge Conley expressed his hope that this would be a turning point for Clark.
The charge against Clark was the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consisting of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Eau Claire Police Department, and UW-Eau Claire Police Department also assisted in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Eau Claire Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Robert E. Carter, 45, Eau Claire, Wisconsin was sentenced October 17, 2024 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to three years in prison for wire fraud and attempted wire fraud. Carter was convicted of these charges on July 16, 2024, following a jury trial.
Carter’s fraud scheme started in 2018 when he feigned interest in purchasing a trucking company headquartered in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. After telling elaborate lies about owning private jets and a personal yacht, Carter convinced the owners that he wanted to buy their trucking and brokerage companies for $10 million. Carter then sent the owners a letter of intent that required them to provide Carter, under the guise of due diligence, with the companies’ sensitive business information, including financial statements. Carter eventually informed the companies’ owners that Carter needed to back out of the deal; however, he held on to the financial statements for two years.
In 2020, Carter intentionally changed the financial statements that he fraudulently obtained from the Fond du Lac-based companies and made it appear as if the documents belonged to Carter’s businesses. Carter then submitted the phony financial statements to an equipment leasing company so Carter could fraudulently obtain three semi-trucks and two trailers.
While defrauding the first leasing company, Carter simultaneously downloaded financial statements from the Internet that belonged to a charitable trust in Iowa.
Again, Carter intentionally changed these financial statements so the documents appeared to belong to Carter’s trust. Carter then submitted the fake trust financial statements to a second equipment leasing company in an attempt to fraudulently lease ten more semi-trucks.
In sentencing Carter, Judge Conley highlighted Carter’s criminal history, which included prior convictions for fraud.
The charges against Carter were the result of an investigation conducted by IRS Criminal Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance provided by the Office of the U.S. Trustee for the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chadwick M. Elgersma and Megan R. Stelljes prosecuted this case.
U.S. Attorney Announces District Election OfficerRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, Timothy M. O’Shea, announced today that Assistant United States Attorney Chadwick Elgersma will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Elgersma has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Western District of Wisconsin, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
U.S. Attorney O’Shea said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
Recognizing that voting is the “cornerstone of American democracy,” U.S. Attorney O’Shea emphasized that, “we all must ensure that those who are entitled to vote can do so, and that those who seek to corrupt elections are brought to justice. It is important that anyone who has specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA Elgersma will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 608-250-5488.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 414-276-4684, option 7.
Grand Jury Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Beloit Man Charged With Possessing Child Pornography
Jody Behlke, 49, Beloit, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing child pornography. The indictment alleges that on May 24, 2023, Behlke possessed a Samsung Galaxy 8 Tab tablet containing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment further alleges that at least one of the depictions Behlke possessed involved a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.
The penalties for possessing child pornography vary depending upon an individual’s prior criminal history. If convicted, Behlke faces a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The charge against Behlke is the result of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus is handling the case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
La Crosse Man and Woman Charged with Possessing Methamphetamine and Fentanyl for Distribution
Stephan J. Johnston, 27 and Ashley L. Russell, 31, both of La Crosse, Wisconsin, are charged with possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, both drugs intended for distribution. The two are also charged with maintaining a drug involved premises. The indictment alleges that Johnston and Russell possessed the methamphetamine and fentanyl on February 14, 2024. The indictment further alleges that from January 28, 2024 to February 14, 2024, they maintained a drug involved premises for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl.
If convicted of possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution, Johnston and Russell each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. If convicted of possessing 40 grams or more of fentanyl intended for distribution, they each face a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in prison. The charge of maintaining a drug involved premises carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The charges against Johnston and Russell are the result of an investigation by the La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office, La Crosse Police Department, Crawford County Sherriff’s Office, and the Central Wisconsin Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katheryn Ginsberg is handling the case.
Eau Claire Man Charged with Methamphetamine Trafficking
Xa Xiong, 31, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and attempting to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The indictment alleges that Xiong distributed methamphetamine on July 26, 2024, and attempted to distribute methamphetamine on August 1, 2024.
If convicted of distributing 50 grams or more, Xiong faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. If convicted of attempting to distribute 500 grams or more, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The charges against Xiong were the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Clark County Sheriff’s Department. The case was also investigated by the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consisting of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Levins is handling the case.
Fitchburg Man Sentenced to 45 Months for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Damariyah Muhammad, 23, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, was sentenced on October 4, 2024 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 45 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Muhammad pleaded guilty to this charge on July 10, 2024.
On January 8, 2024, law enforcement sought to arrest Muhammad for charges related to a domestic disorderly conduct and hit and run. When detectives encountered Muhammad, he fled. He slipped in the snow and dropped a firearm, which law enforcement immediately recovered and identified as a loaded Glock 9mm handgun with a 31-round extended magazine. The Wisconsin State Crime Lab confirmed Muhammad’s DNA was present on the gun. Muhammad is prohibited from legally possessing firearms and ammunition because of prior felony convictions.
At sentencing, Judge Conley considered Muhammad’s continued escalating criminal behavior, which has involved possession of high-capacity firearms and violent activity. The Judge noted that Muhammad has had chances to reflect and resources available, but he did not accept them and squandered those opportunities. The Judge urged Muhammad to use his time in custody to confront his past, to decide that this is his low point, and to stop his decent into the criminal lifestyle.
The charge against Muhammad was the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consisting of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.