Western District of Wisconsin
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 2 ½ Years for Possessing Stolen Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Briante Banks, 31, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 2 ½ years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Banks pleaded guilty to this charge on February 6, 2024. He was also ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release.
On May 2, 2023, Banks was arrested for violating the conditions of his state probation. During a post-arrest search, Banks was found to be in possession of a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun. Law enforcement determined that the handgun had previously been stolen from a La Crosse area gun shop. Banks is legally prohibited from possessing firearms because he has prior felony convictions for drug trafficking.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that Banks has been under state supervision since 2014 and has largely failed to comply. Judge Conley told Banks that he had so far failed to learn any lessons from his past and unless he made good use of his time in prison and engaged with his supervising probation officer after release, he would likely end up back in prison.
The charge against Banks was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department; La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office; and the 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.
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Drug Trafficking and Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Benjamin W. Thoreson, 43, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 7 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon and possessing methamphetamine for distribution. Thoreson pleaded guilty to these charges on February 1, 2024. He was also ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release.
On August 2, 2023, Thoreson was arrested for violating the conditions of his state supervision and admitted to having a handgun in his waistband. The arresting officer recovered a loaded Ruger LCP .22 caliber handgun and 14 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in the backpack that Thoreson was carrying. Thoreson is prohibited from legally possessing a firearm because of prior felony convictions.
At sentencing Judge Peterson recognized that Thoreson struggled with addiction. Judge Peterson determined, however, that Thoreson’s chances of relapsing and returning to criminality was high, which made him a danger to society and required a longer period of incarceration.
The charges against Thoreson were the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department and the 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.
U.S. Attorney Recognizes National Crime Victims' Rights WeekRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, Timothy M. O’Shea, is joining with the U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime, in recognizing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 21- 27, 2024.
National Crime Victims’ Rights week was established in 1981 to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and rights of victims of crime. The week is an opportunity “to reflect on the importance of making the justice system work for survivors of crime,” said U.S. Attorney O’Shea. “Many people think justice is only a conviction or an arrest, but for survivors, justice means being heard, treated with dignity and respect, and restored to the degree that goal can be achieved through restitution, treatment, and other remedies. My office will continue to strive to honor the voices of crime victims throughout all stages of federal criminal prosecutions.”
U.S. Attorney O’Shea also praised the work of those in law enforcement and in the larger community who support crime victims, “being a crime victim can have lifelong impacts on an individual’s mental and physical health. Providing emotional support and other assistance to crime victims is an invaluable part of providing justice and I applaud those who do this important work.”
More information about Crime Victims’ Rights Week can be found at: https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/national-crime-victims-rights-week/overview.
Grand Jury Returns Three IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned three 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.
Two Madison Men Charged with Passing Counterfeit Money
Cornelius Stewart, 30, and Alex J. Stubbs, 26, both of Madison, Wisconsin, are charged in a 32-count indictment with conspiring to pass counterfeit obligations of the United States and with passing counterfeit $100 bills with intent to defraud. The indictment alleges that the two men passed counterfeit bills and attempted to pass counterfeit bills at businesses in Dane, Monroe, and Jefferson Counties between July and December 2023.
If convicted of the conspiracy charge, Stewart and Stubbs face maximum penalties of 5 years in prison. The men face maximum penalties of 20 years on each of the charges involving passing or attempting to pass counterfeit bills.
The charges against Stewart and Stubbs are the result of an investigation by the United States Secret Service and police departments from Madison, Verona, Fitchburg, Shorewood Hills, Cottage Grove, Marshall, Sun Prairie, Tomah, and Oconomowoc. Assistant United States Attorney Robert Anderson is handling the prosecution.
Mexican National Faces Additional Charge of Possessing Cocaine for Distribution
Eli Torres-Banos, 36, a citizen of Mexico residing in Watertown, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing 5 kilograms or more of cocaine intended for distribution. The indictment alleges that he possessed the cocaine on or about December 6, 2023.
Torres-Banos was charged on November 29, 2023, with being found in the United States after having been removed. The indictment alleged that he was found in the United States on June 7, 2023. He pled guilty to the offense on March 15, 2024, and his sentencing is scheduled for June 4, 2024, before U.S. Chief Judge James D. Peterson.
If convicted on the new drug charge, Torres-Banos faces a minimum penalty of ten years and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The charges against Torres-Banos are the result of investigations conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Jefferson County Drug Task Force, Watertown Police Department, and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Steven C. Ayala are handing the case.
Madison Man Charged with Multiple Drug Crimes
Kyle Evans, 33, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged in a nine-count indictment with distributing cocaine and methamphetamine, distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possessing for distribution and distributing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and maintaining a drug trafficking place. The indictment alleges that Evans committed all these acts between January 29, 2024 and April 9, 2024.
If convicted, Evans faces a minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison for each of the charges involving 500 grams or more. He faces a minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison for each of the charges involving 50 grams or more. The remaining charges in the indictment each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years.
The charges against Evans are the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Glinzak is handling the prosecution.
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Possessing Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Shane Tucker, 30, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 5 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Tucker pleaded guilty to this charge on January 22, 2024.
On July 20, 2023, La Crosse police officers responded to a reported domestic incident involving Tucker. The reporting party said that Tucker was carrying a handgun in his backpack, and another witness to the incident said that Tucker threatened to “shoot this whole place up.” When officers contacted Tucker, they found a loaded .22 caliber silver handgun in a backpack that he had been carrying but tried to hide. Tucker has two prior felony convictions for drug trafficking and is legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson was concerned that the firearm could cause great harm and noted that Tucker had an established pattern of domestic violence. Judge Peterson remarked that because Tucker’s conviction in this case was related to his long history of domestic offenses, a substantial period of incarceration was necessary to protect the public and send a message to Tucker. Tucker was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
The charge against Tucker was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse 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.
Trempealeau County Man Sentenced to 18 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 Seth W. Fagan, 33, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 18 years in prison for receiving child pornography. This term of imprisonment will be followed by a lifetime period of supervised release. Fagan pleaded guilty to this charge on January 16, 2024.
The investigation into Fagan began in March 2023, when a 16-year-old victim in Onalaska, Wisconsin, reported to her school resource officer that she was being threatened and harassed by a Snapchat user. The victim told the officer that she accepted a friend request from a Snapchat user who said he was a teenage male in the area. After exchanging nude photos, the Snapchat user began to threaten the victim, stating that he would send her nude photo to her family and friends if she did not send him more nude images.
An investigation into the Snapchat user’s name and records showed that this account, and many other Snapchat accounts, were being controlled by Fagan. Fagan used his Snapchat personas to message numerous minors pretending to be a teenage male. Fagan solicited and received hundreds of images of minors in the community and across the country. In some incidents, he threatened to publicly share the images if the minors did not send him additional images.
During the search of Fagan’s devices, law enforcement found many videos of a twelve-year-old victim Fagen was communicating with via Snapchat. Fagan received sexual images of this victim and then threatened to share them if she did not comply with his demands for more images. Fagan recorded a series of videos of this victim where he directed her to perform sexual acts on herself and told her to cry while he watched.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson found Fagan’s large number of young victims disturbing and aggravating, and his actions calculating. Judge Peterson observed that Fagan had a commitment to abusive conduct, noting that his behavior towards the twelve-year-old victim was particularly cruel. Judge Peterson also found that Fagan posed a danger to the community and that a long sentence was warranted to protect the public and to reflect the seriousness of Fagan’s conduct.
U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea praised the courage of the victims who came forward in this case. “By doing so, these victims helped stop Fagan’s crimes against them and countless other victims. Sextortion is a terrible crime, and my office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who engage in this disturbing behavior.”
According to the FBI, there has been a significant spike in children and teens being threatened and coerced into sending explicit images online, a crime known as sextortion. Sextortion can start on any site, app, messaging platform, or game where people meet and communicate. Most often, the crime starts when young people believe they are communicating with someone their own age who is interested in a relationship or with someone who is offering something of value.
Unfortunately, in a sextortion scheme, the abuser uses the original images or video as leverage against the victim. After the criminals have one or more videos or pictures, they threaten to publish that content, or they threaten violence, to get the victim to produce more images. The shame, fear, and confusion children feel when they are caught in this cycle often prevents them from asking for help or reporting the abuse.
U.S. Attorney O’Shea urged parents and guardians to talk to their children about sextortion and discuss what they should do if they are being extorted by someone online. “Keep an open dialog with your children and urge them to tell you or another trusted adult if they are ever asked to exchange inappropriate content, even if the situation is uncomfortable.”
Additional information about this type of crime can be found at:
https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz/resources
https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/sextortion
The charges against Fagan were the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, the Onalaska and Sparta Police Departments, and the Ritchie County Sheriff’s Department in West Virginia. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Wisconsin Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking a Woman and a Minor OnlineRead the Press Release
A Wisconsin man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty in November 2023 to two counts of sex trafficking.
According to court documents, Austin Koeckeritz, 30, of River Falls, pleaded guilty to compelling a young woman to perform commercial sex acts online, and also sex trafficking a minor.
“Sex traffickers exploit vulnerable victims for profit and, increasingly, this practice includes commercial sex activity online,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This should send a clear message – sex traffickers who try to hide behind computer screen screens and exploit victims online will be exposed and held accountable. The Justice Department remains committed to prosecuting human trafficking offenses, no matter the form, and standing up for the children and adult survivors targeted by these abusers.”
“My office will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to hold human traffickers accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “Sex trafficking and forced prostitution are terrible crimes and our priority is to restore freedom and dignity to the victims.”
“The women and men of the FBI work tirelessly to combat sex trafficking in communities across Wisconsin to stop individuals like Koeckeritz from exploiting and harming innocent victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “Human trafficking has lifelong impacts on those affected. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, is dedicated to bringing these individuals to justice.”
According to court documents, Koeckeritz used violence, threats of violence, emotional manipulation, isolation and surveillance to recruit and then compel one adult victim into engaging in online commercial sex acts in the River Falls area between August 2020 and August 2022. Beginning in January 2021, the adult victim was forced to perform the commercial sex acts between eight and 12 hours a day, six days a week, for over 18 months. He also caused a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts between October 2021 and January 2022.
The FBI Milwaukee Field Office and River Falls Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Pierce County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorneys Slava Kuperstein and Julie Pluger of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Janesville Man Sentenced to 7 Years 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 Kyle Richards, 35, Janesville, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 7 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. This prison term will be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Richards pleaded guilty to this charge on January 18, 2024.
On May 4, 2023, officers with the Janesville Police Department executed a search warrant at Richard’s apartment in Janesville, as part of an on-going drug investigation. In the living room, officers found cocaine, drug scales, and tools for cooking crack cocaine. Inside a bathroom closet, officers located four firearms and ammunition. In addition, on Richards’s phone, officers found a video showing Richards with several firearms inside of that same bathroom.
Richards is prohibited from legally possessing a firearm as a result of several felony convictions, including a 2015 conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon. Richards was on state supervision for that conviction at the time of the conduct in this case. The sentence imposed in this case will run concurrently with a five-year prison sentence Richards received for violating that supervision.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson noted that Richards’s drug distribution undercut any suggestion that he was merely an addict supporting an addiction. Judge Peterson also noted how the combination of drugs and firearms created a risk of violence.
The charge against Richards was the result of an investigation conducted by the Janesville Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of this case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus.
Madison Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl While on Supervision for Prior Gun OffenseRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kendal J. Harris, 30, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to just over five years in federal prison for repeatedly selling fentanyl to an undercover police officer while out on bail in a state homicide case and while under federal supervision after serving a prison sentence for illegally possessing a firearm. Judge Conley sentenced Harris to an additional two years in prison after revoking his federal supervision for the prior firearm conviction. The prison terms will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Harris pleaded guilty to the fentanyl distribution charge on January 10, 2024.
Between July 11, 2023, and August 17, 2023, Harris sold fentanyl in increasingly larger quantities to an undercover police officer in Dane County, Wisconsin. The last buy involved Harris selling 49 grams of powdered fentanyl to the undercover officer.
On August 24, 2023, Madison police officers executed a search warrant at Harris’s residence in Madison and found over 500 fentanyl pills in a drawer in a children’s bedroom. Officers found another 1,000 fentanyl pills in the kitchen closet, and a package of fentanyl pills in a toilet.
At the time of these events, Harris was on federal supervision after serving over four years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon. Harris was also out on bond for a Dane County homicide case. The homicide case is still pending, and Harris is presumed innocent of the charge. Trial is set for August 5, 2024.
At sentencing, Judge Conley highlighted Harris’ extensive history of violence and gang involvement. He noted that this was Harris’ second federal conviction in less than five years and that he got involved with drug dealing just months after getting out of prison.
The charge against Harris was the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force and the Madison Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
La Crosse Gun Store Burglar Sentenced to 6 ½ Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing GunsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Mackey Drake, 23, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 6 ½ years in prison for possessing firearms as a felon. Drake pleaded guilty to this charge on January 17, 2024. The prison term is to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
On April 25, 2023, at approximately 3:00 a.m., Drake and two others broke into a gun store in Rockland, Wisconsin, and stole 41 firearms and cash. Law enforcement quickly identified Drake and arrested him later in the day when he arrived at a meeting with his state Department of Corrections agent. Drake was on extended supervision at the time, after serving prison sentences for felony robbery convictions in 2017 and 2020. Drake admitted to participating in the gun store burglary, and that he sold some of the firearms to Briante Banks, a felon who could not legally possess them. Banks was charged and pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing a firearm as a felon. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 26, 2024.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that some of the guns stolen were still on the street, likely in hands of prohibited persons, and may be used to commit crimes. Judge Conley found that a substantial sentence was necessary to protect the community from Drake, who has shown a propensity for violence in an unbroken chain of criminal conduct. Judge Conley also ordered Drake to pay restitution.
“Community safety—where every child can play outside without fear of gun violence and where neighbors feel safe—is paramount for the United States Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy O’Shea. “I am grateful to the ATF, La Crosse Police Department, and La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office for moving quickly to solve this crime which put dangerous weapons in the hands of criminals.”
“Firearms trafficking is a tactic that prohibited persons use to acquire firearms and perpetrate violent crime within our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle, of the St. Paul Field Division. “We are sincerely grateful for our partnership with La Crosse Police Department and La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office and for their diligence that directly led to the swift arrest of the perpetrators and led to the recovery of a majority of the stolen firearms, preventing them from reaching the hands of violent criminals. I am also grateful for the U.S. Attorney’s prosecutorial work on this case, obtaining justice for the federal firearms licensee as well as ensuring these defendants are held accountable for their actions.”
Nehemiah Sample and Robert Benson were also charged in connection with the Rockland gun store burglary. Sample pleaded guilty to theft of firearms and was sentenced to 24 months in prison. Robert Benson’s case is still pending, and he is presumed innocent of these charges.
The charges against Drake, Sample, Benson, and Banks were the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department, La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted these cases.
These cases have 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.
Grand Jury Returns Two Indictments Involving FirearmsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned two firearms-related 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.
Middleton Woman Charged with Straw Purchasing a Firearm for Felon
Shawna Tantillo, 34, Middleton, Wisconsin, is charged with straw purchasing a firearm for a felon, conspiring to violate the law prohibiting felons from possessing firearms, and lying on a firearms purchase form.
The indictment alleges that on November 28, 2023, a person identified as Person 1 asked Tantillo to purchase a firearm. Despite knowing that Person 1 was a felon, Tantillo agreed to purchase the firearm for Person 1. Tantillo purchased a .380 handgun from a Cross Plains, Wisconsin, gun store on December 7, 2023. The indictment further alleges that at the time of the purchase, Tantillo falsely declared on the purchase form that she was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm. Tantillo picked up the firearm from the gun store on December 8, 2023, and then gave it to Person 1, who in return gave Tantillo the purchase price plus $150.
If convicted, the conspiracy and false statement charges each carry maximum penalties of 5 years in prison. The straw purchase charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
“Stopping straw buyers and preventing illegal firearms trafficking is our first line of defense against gun violence,” U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea said in announcing the charges. “It is illegal to purchase a firearm posing as the real buyer for someone else. If a friend or relative asks you to lie to a firearms retailer to try to buy a gun for them, don’t do it.” O’Shea said.
The charges against Tantillo were the result of an investigation conducted by the Middleton and Fitchburg Police Departments and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the case.
Beloit Man Charged with Drug and Gun Crimes
Denzen J. Jones, 41, Beloit, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing cocaine and fentanyl, possessing cocaine for distribution, and maintaining a drug trafficking place. He is also charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon and possessing a loaded firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The indictment alleges that Jones committed all these acts between May 27, 2022 and August 23, 2022.
If convicted Jones faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison on each of the drug-related charges. If convicted of the felon in possession charge, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The charge of possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense carries a mandatory minimum penalty five years in prison to be served consecutively to any other prison term, and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The charges against Jones are the result of an investigation by the Beloit Police Department, Rock County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the prosecution.
Both cases have 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.
Vernon County Man Sentenced to 11 ½ Years for Trafficking Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Stanley J. Holte, 34, Coon Valley, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 11 ½ years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Holte pled guilty to this charge on January 16, 2024.
On June 12, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residence of Holte and his co-defendant Julia Lloyd in Coon Valley. Holte was pulled over after being observed leaving the residence. Officers searched Holte and his car and found a large quantity of cash, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. Officers arrested Lloyd at the residence, where they found additional quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. In total, officers seized just under five pounds of methamphetamine, over an ounce of fentanyl, and almost $50,000 in cash. Lloyd and Holte were later interviewed and admitted to trafficking significant quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
At sentencing, Judge Conley emphasized that a lengthy prison sentence was necessary for Holte because of the significant quantities of dangerous drugs that he was distributing in the community and his long history of selling drugs. At the time of this incident, Holte was on extended supervision with the State of Wisconsin for a prior methamphetamine trafficking offense. His probation in that case was revoked because of his new criminal conduct, and he was sentenced to approximately 16 months in state prison. Judge Conley ordered that the federal sentence run concurrently with the remainder of Holte’s state revocation sentence.
On March 1, 2024, Judge Conley sentenced Julia Lloyd to 78 months in federal prison for conspiring with Holte to traffic methamphetamine and fentanyl.
The charges against Lloyd and Holte were the result of an investigation conducted by the Campbell, La Crosse, and Onalaska Police Departments, La Crosse County and Vernon County Sheriff’s Offices, and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Vernon County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Madison Man Sentenced to 54 Months for Illegally Possessing Firearm While on Federal SupervisionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ramogi Carr, 22, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 54 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon and while under federal supervision. Carr pleaded guilty to the firearm charge on January 10, 2024.
On March 16, 2021, Carr received a sentence of 15 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon. Carr started his term of supervised release on September 13, 2021, and on September 6, 2022, a warrant was issued for the Carr’s arrest, alleging that he violated the conditions of his supervised release after he was charged in Dane County Circuit Court with misdemeanor resisting or obstructing an officer.
On May 2, 2023, law enforcement officers located Carr in McFarland, Wisconsin, as he and another individual were getting into a vehicle. Officers attempted to arrest Carr when the vehicle pulled into a parking lot in Madison, but Carr fled on foot. Officers caught up to Carr and took him into custody. While searching Carr incident to arrest, officers found a loaded handgun with a 30-round extended magazine and a “switch” inside of Carr’s pants. The “switch,” also known as an auto sear, converted the handgun from semi-automatic to fully automatic, making the firearm illegal to possess regardless of Carr’s felony status.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that Carr’s criminal behavior appeared to be escalating. Judge Conley also stressed the danger that Carr posed to the community when he chose to carry a firearm that was converted to a fully automatic machinegun.
The charge against Carr was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department, Fitchburg Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma 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.
Two Madison Men 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 two Madison men have been sentenced in connection with fentanyl trafficking.
Tysean J. Pollard, 22, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 24 months for distributing fentanyl. Pollard pleaded guilty to this charge on December 20, 2023.
In June 2023, the Madison Police Department conducted two undercover buys of fentanyl pills involving Pollard. During the two controlled buys, Pollard assisted with selling an undercover officer fentanyl pills weighing 52.8 grams and 50.7 grams. At Pollard’s sentencing, Judge Peterson noted his youthful age and the minor role he played in distributing fentanyl.
In a related case, Judge Peterson sentenced Steven P. Dixon, 30, Madison, Wisconsin, on March 12, 2024, to 122 months in prison for distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Dixon pleaded guilty to these charges on December 18, 2023. The prison sentence will be followed by a 6-year term of supervised release.
From late April to early June 2023, Madison Police Department conducted five undercover buys of fentanyl pills from Dixon. During the last buy, which also involved Pollard, Dixon sold an undercover officer 500 fentanyl pills weighing a total of 50.7 grams. Officers arrested him on June 28, 2023. Contemporaneously with his arrest, officers searched Dixon’s bags and found fentanyl pills weighing a total of 911.2 grams, 2 digital scales, drug packaging material, and 8 unfired 9mm cartridges.
At Dixon’s sentencing, Judge Peterson observed that fentanyl presented a serious public health concern and that Dixon had contributed to that concern with his large-scale drug dealing. Judge Peterson acknowledged that Dixon was not a king pin but found that he was more than a street-level dealer and that he had benefited financially from his dealing. Judge Peterson also noted that the defendant had a history of violence and of resisting arrest, including in this case.
The charges against Pollard and Dixon were the result of an investigation conducted by the City of Madison Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anita Marie Boor and Louis Glinzak prosecuted this case.
Chippewa Falls Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Possessing Firearms as a FelonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Brandon Herman, 42, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 11 years in federal prison for possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution and possessing firearms as a felon. Herman pleaded guilty to these charges on December 5, 2023.
On May 25, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant’s rural residence in the Town of Lafayette in Chippewa County, Wisconsin, where they found numerous handguns and a rifle. Herman is prohibited from possessing firearms due to his previous felony convictions for possessing, manufacturing, and delivering controlled substances and possessing a firearm after a felony conviction.
During the search of Herman’s residence, law enforcement also found $19,438 in U.S. currency, more than 7 kilograms of marijuana, and more than 1 kilogram of methamphetamine inside a safe.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson noted Herman’s dramatic disregard for the law and substantial criminal history. Judge Peterson told Herman that he posed an ongoing danger to the community because he continued to commit dangerous drug and gun crimes.
The charges against Herman were the result of an investigation conducted by the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office, Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Office, West Central Drug Task Force, St. Paul (Minnesota) Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg.
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.
Grand Jury Returns Two 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.
Wausau Man Charged with Possessing Methamphetamine Intended for Distribution
Jonathan Rodriguez, 38, Wausau, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The indictment alleges that Rodriquez possessed the methamphetamine on November 26, 2023.
If convicted, Rodriquez faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
The charge against Rodriquez was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wausau Police Department and the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Glinzak is handling the case.
Fitchburg Man Charged with Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition as a Felon
Damariyah Muhammad, 22, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. The indictment alleges that Muhammad possessed a loaded Glock 19 pistol on January 8, 2024. If convicted, Muhammad faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
The charge against Muhammad is the result of an investigation by the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, Fitchburg Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon is handling the prosecution.
Grand Jury Returns Three 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.
Neenah Man Charged with Distributing Sexually Explicit Images of a Minor
Adam J. Westbrook, 34, Neenah, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment charges that Westbrook used Snapchat to distribute two videos of Minor A engaged in sexually explicit conduct on or about January 27, 2024. Westbrook will make his initial appearance on the charge on February 22, 2024, at 11:15 am.
If convicted, Westbrook faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The charge against Westbrook is the result of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Neenah, Lake Delton, and Kenosha Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Altman and Anita Marie Boor are 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.
Dane County Men Charged with Possessing Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Intended for Distribution
Corvalis M. Stewart, 36, Madison, Wisconsin, and Larry D. Williamson Jr., 35, Waunakee, Wisconsin, are charged with possessing 400 grams or more of fentanyl intended for distribution. The indictment alleges that the two men possessed the fentanyl on February 8, 2024. Both men were arrested on February 8, 2024, and remain in custody. Stewart and Williamson are also charged with possessing, with intent to distribute, 500 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl and methamphetamine on February 8, 2024.
If convicted, Stewart and Williamson, Jr. face a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years and a maximum penalty of life in prison on each charge.
The charges against Stewart and Williamson Jr. are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, and the Middleton Police Department, with the assistance of the Air and Marine Operations Center (AMOC) in Riverside, CA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the case.
Eau Claire Men Charged with Distributing Fentanyl and Methamphetamine
Hector A. Jimenez-Sosa, 41, and Mario R. Aviles, 26, both of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, are charged with distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine on September 19, 2023, and with distributing fentanyl on October 3, 2023. The indictment alleges that with respect to Jimenez-Sosa, the amount attributable to him on September 19, 2023, was 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Jimenez-Sosa is also charged with distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on October 31, 2023.
If convicted, Jimenez-Sosa faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison on the two charges involving distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. If convicted on the other charges, both Jimenez-Sosa and Aviles face maximum penalties of 20 years in prison.
The charges against Jimenez-Sosa and Aviles were the result of an investigation by the West Central Drug Task Force, Eau Claire Police Department, Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson is handling the case.
Two Charged with Possessing Fentanyl Intended for DistributionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Two Dane County men were charged yesterday with possessing more than 400 grams of fentanyl intended for distribution. Corvalis M. Stewart, 36, Madison and Larry D. Williamson Jr., 35, Waunakee will make their initial appearance in federal court today at 1:45 pm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen L. Crocker.
The complaint filed yesterday in U.S. District Court in Madison alleges that on February 8, 2024, law enforcement arrested Stewart and Williamson Jr. at the Middleton Municipal Airport. At the time of their arrest, the two men allegedly possessed approximately 46.4 pounds of M30 Fentanyl pills and approximately 17.5 pounds of a methamphetamine and fentanyl mixture.
According to the complaint, on February 6, 2024, law enforcement received a tip from someone who interacted with Stewart and Williamson, Jr. at an airport in Arizona, who described suspicious behavior. The tipster provided Homeland Security with the airplane tail number. The plane was a private rental plane.
The complaint indicates that law enforcement was able to determine on February 8, 2024, that the plane was traveling to the Middleton Municipal Airport. Law enforcement officers canvassed the airport parking lot and found a pickup truck parked there that was registered to Williamson Jr. A Jeep registered to Stewart was parked directly next to Williamson Jr.’s truck. A Middleton Police Officer and his narcotics detection-trained K-9 conducted a free air sniff around Stewart’s Jeep and the K9 positively alerted for the presence of controlled substances.
According to the complaint, the plane arrived at approximately 10:56 pm. Two individuals, later identified as Stewart and Williamson Jr., exited the plane and observed Stewart carrying bags and putting them in the back of his Jeep. Law enforcement detained Stewart and Williamson Jr. Based on a second positive K-9 alert on Stewart’s Jeep, investigators searched it and found 5 bundles wrapped with black electrical tape, each containing a crystal-like substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl. Law enforcement also located a duffle bag with zip lock bags full of blue pills that field-tested positive for the presence of fentanyl.
If convicted, Stewart and Williamson, Jr. face a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The charge against the men is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, Dane County Narcotics and Gangs Task Force, and the Middleton Police Department, with the assistance of the Air and Marine Operations Center (AMOC) in Riverside, CA.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Texas Roofing Company Charged with Fraud Related to Asbestos Removal at Federal Prison in WisconsinRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced the filing of a criminal information and deferred prosecution agreement on February 7, 2024, charging Brazos Urethane, Inc. Texas City, Texas, with conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).
Brazos contracted in 2014 with the BOP to replace roofs on buildings located at the Oxford Federal Correctional Institution (FCI Oxford) located in Oxford, Wisconsin, at a contract price of nearly $4,000,000. The roofing project involved the abatement of asbestos containing materials that required the use of special removal and disposal procedures to guard against asbestos contamination. As part of the BOP contract, Brazos certified that it would maintain a safe work environment, follow all federal and state laws regarding the removal and disposal of hazardous waste materials, and obtain all necessary permits from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
“Brazos dumping hazardous material on a residential property wasn’t just dangerous for the community, it was defrauding the United States government. The public can rest assured that the asbestos has been properly removed and disposed of, and that Brazos is being held accountable for its actions,” said William J. Hannah, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Midwest Region.
“The United States requires contractors like Brazos to comply with regulations for the proper removal and disposal of materials containing asbestos,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea of the Western District of Wisconsin. “When contractors fail to comply, they not only defraud the United States, they also endanger their employees and the community. This charge is meant to hold Brazos accountable and deter other contractors from engaging in similar conduct."
Brazos dumped roofing waste materials from the FCI Oxford worksite onto a property he purchased near the prison in early 2015. The roofing waste materials were subsequently found to contain asbestos by Wisconsin DNR regulators on November 4, 2015, and by Environmental Protection Agency regulators on December 16, 2021. Brazos concealed this illegal dumping from the BOP and Wisconsin DNR, then lied about its cleanup efforts once the company was caught.
In 2022, Brazos was ordered by the Wisconsin DNR to properly and completely clean up the roofing waste. The cleanup project cost Brazos $480,000, and took three weeks to accomplish.
As part of the deferred prosecution agreement, Brazos agrees to immediately pay a monetary penalty of $300,000 which represents the amount of money Brazos attempted to save by engaging in the illegal dumping conduct. Brazos also agrees to enter into a three-year corporate compliance program designed to prevent further violations of contract fraud and federal environmental laws. At the end of the three-year program, the charge against Brazos will be dismissed.
The case against Brazos was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General. The prosecution of the case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Graber.
Justice Department Secures Agreement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Wisconsin LandlordsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Richard and Mary Donahue, landlords who own more than 100 residential rental units in and around Janesville, Wisconsin, have agreed to pay $500,000 in monetary damages and a $123,965 civil penalty to the government to resolve a Fair Housing Act (FHA) lawsuit concerning Richard Donahue’s sexual harassment of female tenants over more than 20 years.
“A home should be one’s sanctuary, not a place where you are subjected to dehumanizing and prolonged periods of sexual harassment,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “When landlords sexually harass their tenants, they deprive them of the ability to feel safe and secure in their own homes. This agreement sends a strong message that the Justice Department will continue to enforce federal civil rights laws to ensure all tenants are protected from unlawful discrimination.”
“The lengthy course of sexual harassment and retaliation against female tenants in this case is disturbing and unacceptable,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “Our office remains committed to holding landlords accountable for violations of the Fair Housing Act.”
Under the terms of the proposed consent decree, which still must be approved by the court, Richard and Mary Donahue will pay $500,000 in monetary damages to 13 female tenants harmed by Richard Donahue. The defendants are also required to seek to vacate any retaliatory eviction judgments obtained against these tenants and to take steps to correct the tenants’ credit histories. The defendants are also permanently enjoined from managing residential rental properties in the future and must retain an independent property manager to manage their rental properties for the duration of the decree. Finally, the defendants must pay a $123,695 civil penalty to the government, the maximum civil penalty allowed under the FHA.
The lawsuit alleged that, since at least 2000, Richard Donahue harassed female tenants by making repeated and unwelcome sexual comments, touching tenants’ bodies without their consent, demanding sexual activity in exchange for rent and housing-related benefits and taking adverse actions against tenants who resisted his sexual advances or complained about the harassment. The suit was filed in May 2022.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin handled the case.
The Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. The goal of the department’s initiative is to address, deter and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers or other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative in October 2017, the department has filed 38 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered more than $11.8 million for victims of such harassment.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, along with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, enforces the FHA, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report sexual harassment or other forms of housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online. Individuals may also report such discrimination by contacting HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online.
Trempealeau Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Stealing Firearms from Rockland Gun StoreRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Nehemiah Sample, 27, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 2 years in federal prison for stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee. Sample pleaded guilty to this charge on October 31, 2023.
On April 25, 2023, Sample and two other individuals broke into a gun store in Rockland, Wisconsin, and stole 41 firearms. Officers conducting surveillance later that day saw Sample driving a pickup truck and, when they tried to stop him, he fled. Officers later found the truck abandoned in La Crosse, Wisconsin, with three of the stolen handguns in a bag on the backseat. Sample fled to Arkansas, where he was found in Lake Village trying to sell firearms out of his car. When Lake Village officers attempted to arrest Sample, he fled into a scrap yard. He was eventually taken into custody and officers found a handgun on him, one abandoned in the scrap yard, and five other firearms in his vehicle. All the firearms had been stolen from the Rockland gun store.
At sentencing Judge Conley said that Sample’s decision to sell these stolen guns on the street, including to felons, was an aggravating factor that required a significant sentence.
Codefendant Mackey K. Drake pled guilty to possessing firearms as a felon on January 17, 2024. He is scheduled for sentencing on April 3, 2024. The case against codefendant Robert E. Benson remains pending and he is presumed innocent unless and until he is found guilty.
The charge against Sample was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office, the Lake Village, Arkansas, Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan handled the prosecution.
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.
La Crosse County Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Alfredo Almanza, 43, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 5 years in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine for distribution and maintaining a drug trafficking place. Almanza pleaded guilty to these charges on October 31, 2023.
Law enforcement began investigating Almanza for drug trafficking after receiving complaints from citizens that he was selling methamphetamine out of his home in La Crosse County. On March 15, 2023, law enforcement officers followed a known drug trafficker as he drove to the alley behind Almanza’s home, then exit his vehicle and return a short time later. Law enforcement stopped and searched the vehicle as it left Almanza’s house and found 95 grams of methamphetamine. GPS records indicated that this drug trafficker had been at Almanza’s residence four other times in the month of March.
On March 22, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Almanza’s home. They found approximately 284 grams of methamphetamine along with drug trafficking paraphernalia. An examination of Almanza’s cell phone messages showed communications involving the sale of methamphetamine between Almanza and other individuals.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that, despite a prior conviction for methamphetamine distribution, Almanza continued to sell methamphetamine, which endangered others. In ordering this sentence, Judge Conley further noted that this prison term would be longer that any previous sentence Almanza had served and encouraged him to use the time productively, including by engaging in available drug treatment programs.
The charges against Almanza were the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse and Tomah Police Departments and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Ginsberg and Colleen Lennon prosecuted this case.
Grand Jury Returns Five 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.
Federal Inmate Charged with Assaulting Prison Employee
Gregory Brown, 41, Pekin, Illinois, is charged with forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, and interfering with an employee at the Federal Correctional Institution in Oxford, Wisconsin. The indictment alleges that that conduct occurred on October 12, 2023. If convicted, Brown faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The charge against Brown was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Remington is handling the case.
Two Charged with Firearms Offenses
Damion L. Haynie, 40, La Crosse, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. The indictment alleges that Haynie possessed a Taurus PT 738 .380 caliber handgun and Aguila .380 caliber ammunition on November 30, 2023. If convicted, Haynie faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
The charge against Haynie is the result of an investigation by the La Crosse Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon is handling the case.
Jaison L. Coleman, 41, Marshfield, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing firearms and ammunition as a felon. The indictment alleges that Coleman possessed a Springfield Arms 9mm handgun, a Ruger 9mm handgun, and 9mm ammunition on or about April 20, 2023. If convicted, Coleman faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.
The charge against Coleman is the result of an investigation by the Marshfield Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force, which is 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson is handling the case.
The cases against Haynie and Coleman were bought 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.
Two Charged with Illegally Reentering the Unites States Following Deportation
Minervo Vences Cardoso, 44, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported and removed. The indictment alleges that Vences Cardoso was found in the United States on October 16, 2022. If convicted, Vences Cardoso faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.
The charge against Vences Cardoso was the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner is handling the case.
Alonso Garcia-Jimenez, 35, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported and removed. The indictment alleges that Garcia-Jimenez was found in the United States on January 16, 2024. If convicted, Garcia-Jimenez faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.
The charge against Garcia-Jimenez was the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus is handling the case.
Webster Man Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling Funds from St. Croix Chippewa Indians of WisconsinRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Duane Emery, 65, Webster, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to one year and one day in federal prison for wire fraud. Emery pleaded guilty to this charge on October 17, 2023.
Between 2015 and 2019, Emery stole over $150,000 from the St. Croix Chippewa Housing Authority, an agency of the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin. This agency is responsible for providing and maintaining housing for low-income tribal members. The Housing Authority receives more than $1 million each year in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Emery served as the director for the Housing Authority from 2011 until his termination in 2019.
Emery used his position to obtain checks drawn on Housing Authority funds under the pretense that the checks were needed to make payments on a credit card maintained by the Housing Authority. Emery would instead apply the checks to his personal credit card. Emery also obtained checks drawn on Housing Authority funds to make payments on a timeshare property in Florida, and to pay for service on his personal vehicles.
At sentencing, Judge Conley stated that Emery’s sustained criminal embezzlement warranted a period of imprisonment. Judge Conley also took into consideration the length of time Emery stole form the tribe, and the fact that his lack of supervision allowed other employees to steal.
The charge against Emery was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus prosecuted this case.
U.S. Attorney's Office Collects More Than $7.5 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2023Read the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea announced today that the Western District of Wisconsin collected $7,596,171.74 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $5,862,991.16 was collected in criminal actions and $1,733,180.58 was collected in civil actions.
“Collecting money owed to crime victims and to the United States in criminal and civil cases is a priority of our office,” said U.S. Attorney O’Shea. “Our collections program is committed to holding defendants financially accountable for their illegal activities and ensuring that their debts, particularly to victims, are paid.”
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Western District of Wisconsin, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $1,043,540 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
U.S. Attorney Recognizes Human Trafficking Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. To commemorate the month and continue to raise awareness about this important issue, U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea reaffirmed his office’s commitment to fight against human trafficking by bringing traffickers to justice, assisting trafficked victims, and enhancing public awareness through community outreach.
Human trafficking is a crime involving the exploitation of a person for labor, services, or commercial sex, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion that is physical and/or psychological. The exploitation of a minor for commercial sex is human trafficking regardless of whether any form of force, fraud, or coercion is used by the trafficker.
“Human trafficking is a despicable crime that is happening, unfortunately, right here in Wisconsin,” said U.S. Attorney O’Shea. “Our federal prosecutions, described below, show our commitment to combat human trafficking and bring traffickers to justice. But there’s more work to be done. That’s why today, and every day, we are committed to working with our law enforcement partners, victim service providers, government entities, and the community to combine and strengthen our anti-trafficking efforts.”
U.S. Attorney O’Shea encouraged victims to come forward. “If you are a person forced into prostitution or human trafficking, help is available. There are advocates committed to help you find support and resources. There are local, state, and federal law enforcement officers dedicated to investigating human trafficking. There are prosecutors who will work with law enforcement to hold traffickers accountable.”
U.S. Attorney O’Shea further encouraged anyone who knows about human trafficking to come forward, “Human trafficking is especially pervasive because people don’t want to get involved or are too afraid to come forward. If you know or suspect that someone is being trafficked, please report it using the contact numbers below. You can save that person’s life and the lives of many others. Most often, you can remain anonymous.”
Our Office’s Human Trafficking Prosecutions
The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s ongoing anti-trafficking efforts have resulted in many prosecutions that have led to convictions and prison sentences. In 2023, our prosecutions resulted in a notable sentencing and guilty plea:
United States v. Adrian Edwards. On November 9, 2023, Edwards, 40, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for sex trafficking a minor. Edwards encountered the 16-year-old victim in Utah in January 2021, when the two were at a mutual friend’s house. The victim confided to the defendant that she had a difficult home life and he offered to help her with a place to stay if she needed it. A few days later, the victim called Edwards to take him up on his offer. He bought her a train ticket to Iowa, where he picked her up and brought her to Wisconsin. When she arrived in Wisconsin, he told her she was expected to perform sex acts for money. He immediately took pictures of her and posted ads on websites offering various sexual services in exchange for money. Edwards set the prices, arranged the meetings, arranged for hotels, and kept the bulk of the money gained from the trafficking activity. Edwards was indicted in July 2021, and a federal arrest warrant was issued. He was ultimately arrested in January 2022 in Arizona.
United States v. Austin Koeckeritz. On November 23, 2023, Koeckeritz, 40, River Falls, Wisconsin, pled guilty to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and one count of sex trafficking of a minor. According to court documents, Koeckeritz used force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion to compel one adult victim into engaging in commercial sex acts in the River Falls area between August 2020 and August 2022. Koeckeritz also caused a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts in between October 2021 and January 2022. Sentencing is scheduled for April 11, 2024, at 01:00 pm before Chief Judge James D. Peterson.
How to Report Human Trafficking
If you believe you or someone else are the victim of human trafficking or have information about a potential trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
Specialists are available to answer calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also send a text to 233733 or submit a tip online.
Fort Atkinson Home Improvement Contractor and His Wife Sentenced to Prison for Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Tyler Hansen, 52, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 7 years in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering. His wife, Jennifer Hansen, 43, was sentenced by Judge Conley to 33 months in prison for money laundering. The Hansens pleaded guilty to these charges on October 4, 2023.
Between October 2020 and September 2022, Tyler Hansen operated a home improvement business based in Dane County and Jefferson County. The business operated under multiple names, including Weathersealed Wisconsin and EcoView Windows of South-Central Wisconsin. Hansen entered into contracts for home improvement projects with customers throughout Wisconsin, knowing that he did not intend to order supplies for the jobs or otherwise start the projects. The contracts were for various home improvement projects, including windows, sunrooms, bathrooms, roofs, and doors. When contracts for projects were signed, Hansen required that customers pay 50% of the total contract price as a down payment. Rather than use the money from customer down payments to pay project related expenses, Hansen used the money for personal expenses. In total, the Hansens stole over $800,000 from over 100 victims across Wisconsin during the fraud scheme.
Hansen, together with his wife, also engaged in money laundering. The Hansens used multiple financial transactions to conceal and disguise the true nature of the funds in their bank accounts and to make it more difficult for clients to receive refunds of their down payments. They deposited down payment checks from customers into multiple business bank accounts then transferred the funds to multiple personal accounts.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Conley called the Hansens’ actions “horrific” because they targeted elderly and vulnerable people and resulted in substantial financial losses. Judge Conley also explained that while both the Hansens lied to victims, Tyler Hansen deserved a longer sentence because he was the driving force behind the scheme and had a prior criminal history.
In order to determine the appropriate amount of restitution owed to the victims in the case, Judge Conley scheduled a hearing for March 15, 2024, at 1:00 pm.
The charges against the Hansens were the result of an investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of law enforcement officers and district attorneys’ offices in the following counties in Wisconsin: Richland, Vernon, Grant, Dane, Fond Du Lac, Green Lake, Jefferson, Vilas, Walworth, Waukesha, Iowa, Kenosha, Adams, Columbia, Green, Monroe, Rock, Sauk, Winnebago, Sheboygan, Dodge, and Brown. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner handled the prosecution.
Marathon County Man Sentenced to 7 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 Jacob L. Gould 34, Weston, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 7 years in federal prison for possessing 40 grams or more of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Gould pleaded guilty to this charge on October 25, 2023.
Law enforcement began investigating Gould for drug trafficking after receiving information from several confidential informants. On January 6, 2023, after learning that Gould had visited the location of his drug supplier, officers attempted to stop and arrest him. Gould fled, leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase that reached speeds of 112 miles per hour. Law enforcement eventually stopped Gould’s car, but Gould fled on foot and threw a bag along the way. Officers ultimately arrested Gould and recovered the bag, which contained 102 grams of fentanyl. During a post-arrest interview, Gould admitted he had picked up the 100 grams of fentanyl to sell it. He also admitted picking up 70 grams of fentanyl days prior for the same purpose.
Officers searched Gould following his arrest and, in his pocket, found a key to a safe. Law enforcement then searched Gould’s home and located the safe. Inside, they found a Glock handgun, fentanyl, and methamphetamine.
At sentencing, Judge Conley described Gould’s fentanyl trafficking as a serious offense that endangered the community.
The charge against Gould was the result of an investigation conducted by FBI’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force, comprised of investigators from the FBI, Everest Metro Police Department, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program, with the assistance of the Marathon County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anita Marie Boor and Jennifer Remington prosecuted this case.
Repeat Sex Offender from Sun Prairie Sentenced to 18 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 Robert D. Sutton, Jr., 52, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 18 years in prison for producing child pornography. This term of imprisonment is to be followed by a lifetime period of supervised release. Sutton pleaded guilty to this charge on October 3, 2023.
In May 2021, law enforcement received information that Sutton was sexually assaulting Minor A, then age 13, and Minor B, then age 15. As part of the investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Sutton’s phone and found numerous close-up images of him assaulting the minors.
Sutton was convicted of assaulting a different minor in 2007, and as a result, he was required to register as a sex offender. He was in violation of that requirement at the time he assaulted Minors A and B in the federal case.
Judge Conley stated that Sutton was calculating and manipulative, and that the most disturbing part of the case was Sutton’s willingness and ability to manipulate both adults and children in order to use the children for sexual gratification. Judge Conley was also troubled that Sutton did not seem to recognize the lifelong injury to his victims due to his actions.
The charge against Sutton was the result of an investigation conducted by the Sun Prairie Police Department and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Dane County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anita Boor and Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this 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.
Darien Man Sentenced to 2 Years for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Arron W. Dupler, 34, Darien, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 2 years in prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Dupler’s federal sentence will run consecutive to two undischarged state sentences. He pleaded guilty to the federal charge on November 1, 2023.
Law enforcement began investigating Dupler after receiving information that he was posting pictures of guns on Facebook and offering the guns for sale. On March 4, 2022, Dupler sold an undercover police officer a Ruger LCP .380 handgun. Dupler showed the officer pictures of additional guns that he had previously sold and said he could get more. Dupler is prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of two felony convictions from 2007 and 2018.
At sentencing, Judge Conley said that the most disturbing part of Dupler’s offense was his comment to the undercover officer that the gun had “no bodies” on it, and that only five rounds had been fired from the gun. Judge Conley noted that these attributes would make the gun harder to trace, should it be used in criminal activity.
The charge against Dupler was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Janesville Police Department, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anita Marie Boor and Megan Stelljes prosecuted this case.
Cumberland Woman Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling Funds from St. Croix Chippewa Indians of WisconsinRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Karen Johnson, 55, Cumberland, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to one year and one day in prison for wire fraud, to be followed by a three-year period of supervised release. Johnson pleaded guilty to this charge on September 1, 2023.
Between 2014 and 2019, Johnson stole over $200,000 from the St. Croix Chippewa Housing Authority, an agency of the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin. This agency is responsible for providing and maintaining housing for low-income tribal members. The Housing Authority receives in excess of $1 million each year in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Johnson, who had worked for the Housing Authority since 1995, used her position to write checks for personal expenses. This included a scheme to defraud in which she generated and approved false invoices billing the Housing Authority for work purportedly done by a contractor. Johnson then wrote checks drawn on Housing Authority funds, forged the contractor’s signature, and deposited the checks into her own bank account.
At sentencing, Judge Conley found that Johnson’s conduct was serious because she took advantage of her position within the Housing Authority and deprived other tribal members of financial support. Judge Conley stated a custodial sentence was also warranted due to the length of time Johnson stole funds from the Housing Authority.
The charges against Johnson were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus prosecuted this case.
Armed Felon Sentenced to Six Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Robert A. Goldsberry, 29, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to six years in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon. Goldsberry pleaded guilty to this charge on October 19, 2023.
On November 3, 2022, Dane County Sheriff’s deputies stopped Goldsberry for speeding on Highway 51 in Madison. When deputies approached the car, they smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside and observed Goldsberry—who was the lone occupant—placing his hand on the gear shift multiple times. After deputies asked Goldsberry to step out of the car, he sped away, running multiple red lights and nearly hitting two other vehicles before crashing his car into a traffic signpost. After the crash, Goldsberry jumped out of the car and ran from deputies. He was later arrested and had $3,000 in his pockets.
In Goldsberry’s car, deputies recovered a loaded firearm, 54 bags of marijuana, and 156 oxycodone pills. Goldsberry has prior felony convictions for armed robbery, substantial battery, and drug dealing.
At sentencing, Judge Conley stated Goldsberry has been in and out of jail and has supported himself by dealing drugs. Further, in selecting a six-year sentence, Judge Conley highlighted the need to hold Goldsberry accountable for his dangerous conduct and squandered opportunities under previous terms of state supervision.
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 charge against Goldsberry was the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Reinhard prosecuted this case.
Wisconsin Man Sentenced to Year in Prison for Causing the Creation of an Obscene Animal Crush VideoRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin man was sentenced today for knowingly causing the creation, sale, and distribution of an obscene animal crush video, in violation of the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act (“PACT Act”). U.S. District Judge William M. Conley sentenced Kenneth Herrera, 40, to a year and a day in prison and a $5,000 fine. Herrera will serve three years of supervised release following the prison sentence.
The PACT Act makes it illegal to create or distribute depictions of “animal crushing” that will be sold or distributed internationally or between states. Animal crushing includes burning, suffocating, impaling, or causing the serious bodily injury of animals. Herrera pleaded guilty to this charge on September 15, 2023.
As part of an investigation titled “Operation Dry Eyes,” agents from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Federal Bureau of Investigation learned about an individual, later identified as Herrera, who ordered videos depicting animal crushing from an international videographer. Specifically, USFWS and FBI agents uncovered evidence that, in December 2021, Herrera sent money to a videographer in Indonesia in exchange for a video of a monkey being physically abused. Herrera sent detailed instructions to the videographer asking that the monkey be physically abused in specific violent ways. The videographer complied with these requests and sent the video to Herrera via an encrypted messaging application.
In sentencing Herrera, Judge Conley remarked on the abhorrent nature of the video and pointed out that Herrera did not just view the video but played a role in its production.
“Video recordings of animal torture are cruel, inhumane, and illegal,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea. “Evidence shows that animal torture can be a precursor to other violent crimes. Our office will work with law enforcement, domestically and internationally, to investigate and prosecute all crimes of this nature.”
“The primary mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and our specific role in the Office of Law Enforcement, is to protect all wildlife from being unlawfully commercialized, in whatever form we find it. The heinous crimes against wildlife that are centered in this investigation are an extreme example of that commitment. The success of this case is a direct result of our partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” said Assistant Director Edward Grace of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement.
“The FBI stands resolute in our dedication to working with our federal and international partners to address animal cruelty violations,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle. “We view the sentence handed down in this case under the Animal Crushing Statue not only as a measure of justice served, but also as a deterrent against future violations. We appreciate the opportunity to work with our partners at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Wisconsin on this investigation and will continue to rigorously enforce the laws designed to prevent such heinous acts.”
The charge against Herrera was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney Mark T. Romley of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case.
If you are aware of animal cruelty, please report it to law enforcement. You can also call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 1-844-FWS-TIPS or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
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 that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Two Florida Residents Charged with Money Laundering Conspiracy
Denise Webley, 40, Tamarac, Florida, and Julio Madruga Rosa, 51, Gulf Stream, Florida are charged with participating in a money laundering conspiracy. The indictment alleges that they conspired with others to conduct financial transactions involving the proceeds of an unlawful activity, specifically wire fraud. The indictment alleges that the defendants maintained bank accounts designed to collect and funnel cash proceeds from unlawful activities, and that Webley held Account A and Madruga Rosa held Account B. The indictment further alleges that Webley received a weekly payment for maintaining Account A, and Madruga Rosa received a percentage of the funds laundered through Account B as payment.
The indictment alleges that in November and December 2020, unknown fraud perpetrators used false pretenses to convince employees of businesses in the Western District of Wisconsin and elsewhere, to collect and deliver the businesses’ cash-on-hand to couriers who the fraud perpetrators misrepresented were authorized by the business to receive the funds. The indictment alleges that as part of the conspiracy, in December 2020 in Rib Mountain, Wisconsin, two couriers collected $242,980 in currency from an employee of a retail store. The indictment further alleges that over $233,000 of the fraud proceeds were deposited into Account A, almost immediately were electronically transferred into Account B, and then subsequently transferred out of the United States.
The money laundering charges against Webley and Madruga Rosa are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The investigation of the fraud scheme was conducted by these two agencies and the Merrill, Wausau, Everest Metropolitan, Stevens Point, and West Allis Police Departments, the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Marathon County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith P. Duchemin is handling this case.
Two Face Charges Related to Contraband in Federal Prison
James Arthur Mallett, 40, formerly of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is charged with possessing a prohibited object while an inmate the Federal Correctional Institution at Oxford, Wisconsin. The indictment alleges that on August 4, 2023, Mallett possessed strips containing Buprenorphine, a narcotic drug. Imogene R. Lawson, 60, Chicago, Illinois, is charged with providing Mallett with the strips containing Buprenorphine on that day.
If convicted, Mallett and Lawson each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The charges against them are the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Levins is handling the prosecution.
Repeat Offender Sentenced to 7 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Devin A. Lewis, 38, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 7 years in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Lewis pleaded guilty to this charge on August 9, 2023.
In February 2023, Lewis was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by a La Crosse police officer for a traffic violation. During the stop, Lewis jumped out of the vehicle and attempted to flee. After being caught, Lewis physically struggled with an officer to resist arrest. Retracing Lewis’s path, officers found a bag containing over 200 grams of prepackaged methamphetamine and a smaller amount of fentanyl. Text messages on Lewis’s phone indicated he was intending to sell these drugs.
Lewis has a lengthy criminal history involving the trafficking of controlled substances, including a number of prior convictions where he has tried to run from law enforcement and resist arrest. Lewis’s convictions also include causing substantial injury to an officer and armed robbery.
Judge Peterson acknowledged that Lewis’s conduct was the last link in a chain of criminality and that this activity degrades the community. Judge Peterson also noted that the volume of Lewis’s drug dealing extended beyond the level of supporting personal use.
The charge against Lewis was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anita Marie Boor and Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.
Mexican Citizen Sentenced to 5 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking in MadisonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Emmanuel Herrera Sanchez, 41, Mexico, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 5 years in federal prison for distributing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Herrera Sanchez pleaded guilty to this charge on September 26, 2023.
On April 14, 2022, a confidential informant coordinated with Emmanuel Herrera Sanchez to purchase 10 kilograms of methamphetamine for $49,000. Co-defendant Julio Alvarez Sanchez traveled to meet with the confidential informant at a parking lot in Madison and provided the confidential informant a toolbox containing 6.77 kilograms of methamphetamine. Alvarez Sanchez was arrested following the drug deal. Herrera Sanchez was arrested on June 13, 2022, by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers as he attempted to enter the United States from Mexico near Nogales, Arizona.
Alvarez Sanchez was interviewed by law enforcement and admitted to coordinating the April 14 delivery of methamphetamine with Herrera Sanchez and another associate, Juana Armenta Mora, who herself had delivered 973 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant about two weeks prior to the April 14, 2022 drug deal. Alvarez Sanchez also said he had completed additional deliveries of methamphetamine for Herrera Sanchez.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson noted that this was a very serious drug crime given the great quantity of methamphetamine involved and that it occurred in the context of an organized drug operation. In arriving at the five-year sentence, Judge Peterson weighed these aggravating factors against Herrera Sanchez’s lack of a prior criminal record.
Co-defendant Julio Alvarez Sanchez pleaded guilty to distributing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced by Judge Peterson to 60 months in federal prison on April 6, 2023. Juana Armenta Mora pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine and was sentenced by Judge Peterson to 15 months in federal prison on December 22, 2022.
The charge against Herrera Sanchez was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Jefferson County Drug Task Force, and Madison Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Kathryn E. Ginsberg prosecuted this case.
Madison Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Illegal Gun Possession & Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Messiah A. Fleming, 21, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 48 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon and possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute. The prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Fleming pleaded guilty to these charges on September 1, 2023.
In October and November 2022, Fleming was intercepted over a wiretap speaking with a drug trafficker in Madison who was selling fentanyl pills which were designed to appear like commercially manufactured oxycodone pills. Fleming was often ordering hundreds of fentanyl pills at a time and believed to be distributing them in the Madison area.
On November 24, 2022, a Madison Police Department officer observed a vehicle parked at a grocery store in Madison shortly after midnight with non-matching registration plates. The officer made contact with the driver, Fleming. The officer could smell a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and observed a large quantity of cash at Fleming’s feet. When asked to see paperwork for the vehicle, Fleming stepped out of the car and shut the door. When the officer attempted to detain Fleming over a fear he would run, Fleming physically resisted and ordered his brother, who was also in the car, to grab a bag and the keys and leave. His brother did so while Fleming struggled with the officers.
Once Fleming was detained, officers searched his car and found a loaded Glock 9mm handgun with an extended magazine and bullet in the chamber, in the glove box. Officers also found multiple unlabeled pill bottles containing the fentanyl pills and labeled as oxycodone, additional handgun magazines, and over $6,000 in cash. A forensic analyst later determined that Fleming’s DNA was on the Glock handgun.
At the time of these incidents, Fleming was on probation for a state case involving possession of a machine gun and possession of narcotic drugs. His probation was revoked and he was sentenced to one year in state prison.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson noted that Fleming received a significant break in his last case by receiving probation and immediately engaged in similar conduct resulting in the current federal case. He added that Fleming was dealing with a dangerous drug, fentanyl, as well as a dangerous weapon, a handgun with an extended magazine, and the sentence imposed was meant to protect the public from his conduct.
The charges against Fleming were the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Madison Police Department, United States Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. The Dane County District Attorney’s Office also provided assistance in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Firearm ViolationsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jerel D. Jenkins, 29, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to seven years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jenkins pleaded guilty to this charge on September 1, 2023.
On April 27, 2022, Jenkins was driving a car in La Crosse with a passenger. An officer saw Jenkins’ car was not displaying proper license plates and attempted a traffic stop. Jenkins sped down an alleyway and jumped from the car, which crashed head-on into a detached garage with the passenger still in it. Jenkins fled and was not apprehended that evening. While responding to the scene, officers found a .380 caliber handgun, with a magazine inserted and loaded, on the ground near the driver-side door of the car. DNA from the trigger guard of the handgun matched Jenkins.
On October 12, 2022, Jenkins was charged federally with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Local law enforcement attempted to arrest Jenkins on several occasions, but he eluded capture, in one instance by driving his car through a detached garage and hitting an occupied squad car.
On February 16, 2023, officers from multiple local and federal law enforcement agencies coordinated efforts to arrest Jenkins. Officers saw Jenkins leave an apartment and get into an SUV parked in an alleyway. The officers activated their lights and sirens and attempted to box Jenkins’ SUV in the alleyway. Jenkins responded by accelerating toward one end of the alleyway. He hit a dumpster and then a vehicle driven by a Deputy U.S. Marshal. Jenkins hit the vehicle with such force that its airbags deployed and the Deputy U.S. Marshal was injured. Jenkins was extracted from the SUV and arrested. Two shotguns and ammunition were found in the SUV.
Based on the events surrounding his arrest, Jenkins was charged with illegally possessing the two shotguns and with assaulting a federal officer and causing injury. Jenkins ultimately pleaded guilty to possessing the two shotguns and agreed for the purposes of sentencing that he injured the Deputy U.S. Marshal and possessed the loaded .380 caliber handgun in April 2022.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson concluded that 84 months in prison was necessary to protect the public from Jenkins’ reckless behavior. Judge Peterson noted that Jenkins suffered from substance abuse and mental health issues, but emphasized that Jenkins had an obligation to manage those issues so not to present a danger to the public. Judge Peterson credited Jenkins’ good behavior while he was detained pretrial to encourage him to pursue sobriety and prosocial behavior.
The charges against Jenkins were the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anita Marie Boor and 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.
Escapee Sentenced to 18 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Floyd L. Marlow Jr., 29, Milwaukee, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 18 months in prison for escape. Marlow pleaded guilty to this charge on September 13, 2023.
In March 2018, Marlow pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing with intent to distribute cocaine base and heroin and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. On May 24, 2018, Marlow was sentenced to a total of 70 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
In June 2022, as his federal prison sentence was nearing completion, Marlow transitioned from a correctional institution to a residential reentry facility. Then, in December 2022, Marlow transitioned from that facility to home confinement at a family member’s home. While on home confinement, Marlow continued to serve his sentence and remained under the rules of the reentry facility.
On February 20, 2023, Marlow became intoxicated and physically assaulted several family members before cutting off his GPS bracelet and fleeing his relative’s home without authorization. Marlow was placed on escape status that night.
Police tried to conduct a traffic stop of Marlow on April 4, 2023. Marlow refused to pull over and instead fled at a high rate of speed. Marlow eventually crashed into another car, that car burst into flames, and the driver of that car died. Police apprehended Marlow, and he has been in custody ever since.
Marlow is scheduled for a plea hearing on December 13, 2023 in his Milwaukee County case involving the flight, car crash, and death.
At sentencing, Judge Conley highlighted Marlow’s lack of impulse control and continuing danger to the community. Judge Conley ordered Marlow’s sentence today to run consecutive to the eight months Marlow has remaining on his sentence in his Eastern District of Wisconsin case, so Marlow will effectively serve 26 months in prison.
The charge against Marlow was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Anderson prosecuted this case.
Man Pleads Guilty to Firebombing Madison BuildingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Madison, Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today to the May 2022 firebombing of a Madison office building. Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury, 29, pleaded guilty to attempting to cause damage by means of fire or an explosive.
On Sunday, May 8, 2022, at approximately 6:06 a.m., law enforcement responded to an active fire at an office building located in Madison. Once inside the building, police observed a mason jar under a broken window; the jar was broken, and the lid and screw top were burned black. The police also saw a purple disposable lighter near the mason jar. On the opposite wall from the window, the police saw another mason jar with the lid on and a blue cloth tucked into the top; the cloth was singed. The jar was about half full of a clear fluid that smelled like an accelerant. Outside of the building, someone spray painted on one wall, “If abortions aren’t safe then you aren’t either” and, on another wall, a large “A” with a circle around it and the number “1312.” During the investigation, law enforcement collected DNA from the scene of the attack.
In March 2023, law enforcement identified Roychowdhury as a possible suspect. Local police officers observed Roychowdhury dispose of food in a public trash can; the officers recovered the leftover food and related items, and law enforcement collected DNA from the food. On March 17, 2023, law enforcement advised that a forensic biologist examined the DNA evidence recovered from the attack scene and compared it to the DNA collected from the food contents. The forensic biologist found the two samples matched and likely were the same individual.
In March 2023, Roychowdhury travelled from Madison to Portland, Maine, and he purchased a one-way ticket from Boston, Massachusetts to Guatemala City, departing March 28, 2023. Law enforcement arrested Roychowdhury at Boston Logan International Airport that day.
“I am deeply grateful to our local and federal law enforcement partners for their dedication and persistence in solving this crime,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “In our shared American experiment, conflicting views must be resolved through discussion, the courts, and the ballot box. Arson and other acts of domestic terrorism are crimes that will be punished and have no place in a healthy democracy.”
“There is no place in our society for flagrant disregard for safety through firebombing a place of business, and today’s change of plea is one step further to closure for the victims,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley Engelbert, of the St. Paul Field Division. “This was a complicated investigation. I am proud of the work our agents put into this and am appreciative of the tremendous team effort that went into this investigation.”
“The firebombing was an unacceptable attack on the safety and constitutionally protected rights of every citizen in the state of Wisconsin,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “I commend the thorough and exhaustive investigative efforts of the FBI with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners whose efforts led to the identification and subsequent guilty plea. Let this be a warning to anyone who seeks to use intimidation through threats or committing acts of violence, the FBI along with our partners will work together to ensure that those who break the law are held accountable.”
Roychowdhury faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 14, 2024. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The charge against Roychowdhury is the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department, Wisconsin State Capitol Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, Dane County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the FBI Boston Field Office, Boston Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Air Marshal Service, and Transportation Security Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Beck for the District of Massachusetts handled the defendant’s appearance in Boston following his arrest.
Man Pleads Guilty to Firebombing BuildingRead the Press Release
A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today to the May 2022 firebombing of a Madison office building.
According to court documents, Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury, 29, of Madison, pleaded guilty to attempting to cause damage by means of fire or an explosive. On Sunday, May 8, 2022, at approximately 6:06 a.m., law enforcement responded to an active fire at an office building located in Madison. Once inside the building, police observed a mason jar under a broken window; the jar was broken, and the lid and screw top were burned black. The police also saw a purple disposable lighter near the mason jar. On the opposite wall from the window, the police saw another mason jar with the lid on and a blue cloth tucked into the top; the cloth was singed. The jar was about half full of a clear fluid that smelled like an accelerant. Outside of the building, someone spray painted on one wall, “If abortions aren’t safe then you aren’t either” and, on another wall, a large “A” with a circle around it and the number “1312.” During the investigation, law enforcement collected DNA from the scene of the attack.
In March 2023, law enforcement identified Roychowdhury as a possible suspect. Local police officers observed Roychowdhury dispose of food in a public trash can; the officers recovered the leftover food and related items, and law enforcement collected DNA from the food. On March 17, law enforcement advised that a forensic biologist examined the DNA evidence recovered from the attack scene and compared it to the DNA collected from the food contents. The forensic biologist found the two samples matched and likely were the same individual.
In March, Roychowdhury travelled from Madison to Portland, Maine, and he purchased a one-way ticket from Boston to Guatemala City, departing March 28. Law enforcement arrested Roychowdhury at Boston Logan International Airport that day.
Roychowdhury faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 14, 2024. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The charge against Roychowdhury is the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department, Wisconsin State Capitol Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations and Dane County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the FBI Boston Field Office, Boston Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Air Marshal Service and Transportation Security Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Beck for the District of Massachusetts handled the defendant’s appearance in Boston following his arrest.
Fitchburg Man Sentenced to 56 Months for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Wayne Nance, Jr. (a.k.a., Wayne Evangelista), 44, Fitchburg, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 56 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Nance pleaded guilty to this charge on January 6, 2023.
In the spring of 2022, two citizen witnesses reported to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that Nance was committing gun crimes. The witnesses both met Nance at an area shooting range and he falsely claimed that he had a federal firearms license (FFL), saying that he had law enforcement letters that allowed him to legally manufacture machine guns and suppressors, also known as silencers. The witnesses both initially believed Nance and assisted him in making and testing firearms suppressors. However, they soon began to doubt his story when one learned that Nance’s purported firearms license was actually registered to a different business in another state.
On May 4, 2022, ATF agents executed a search warrant at Nance’s residence in Fitchburg, and they found two 9mm handguns in Nance’s bedroom. In a basement workshop, agents found tools and supplies to manufacture firearms and suppressors, the fraudulent FFL, illegal suppressors, and 22 firearms.
In 2014 Nance was convicted in the District of Connecticut of illegally possessing a firearm as a felon. In that case he was sentenced to 63 months in prison.
At sentencing, Judge Conley found that Nance had an extensive criminal history with a longstanding pattern of fraud, manipulation, and firearms possession. Judge Conley said that after serving his previous federal firearms sentence, Nance started to accumulate guns, joined a local gun club, and began manufacturing and test firing suppressors. Judge Conley concluded by saying that Nance had a hardened and cynical mindset. Nance was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release.
The charge against Nance was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
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 96 Months for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Richard Chapman, 66, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 96 months in prison for bank robbery. Chapman pleaded guilty to this charge on June 26, 2023.
On February 3, 2023, Chapman robbed the Park Bank in downtown Madison by presenting the teller with a note saying “I have a gun. I am a robber. Give me one hundreds.” He held his hand inside a plastic bag which led the teller to believe that he had a gun. After being given money, the defendant fled the bank. Madison detectives were able to follow Chapman’s movements by watching city cameras and found clothing that he had discarded in a nearby parking garage. Further investigation led detectives to the defendant, who after initially lying about his name and trying to run, was taken into custody and said, “You got me.” Officers searched Chapman’s duffle bag and found clothing consistent with the robber’s as well as a robbery note.
Chapman has a criminal record that started in 1975 when he was 18 years old. He was convicted in federal court for bank robberies in 1996 and 2001. He was sentenced to 70 months in prison and 188 months in prison for those offenses.
At sentencing Judge Peterson observed that Chapman terrorized the person that he robbed and created a dangerous situation in the bank. Judge Peterson remarked that Chapman has an unmatched record of recidivism and concluded that he has shown that he will continue to commit crimes and therefore must be incarcerated to protect the community.
The charge against Chapman was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
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.
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 6 ½ Years for Possessing Methamphetamine for Distribution & Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Issac Santana, 26, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 6 ½ years in prison for possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Santana pleaded guilty to these charges on August 30, 2023. This period of incarceration will be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
On November 19, 2022, officers in La Crosse checked on a vehicle that had been parked and running for approximately three hours. Officers found Santana asleep in the driver’s seat. Officers searched Santana and his vehicle and found approximately 193 grams of methamphetamine and over 30 grams of fentanyl packaged for distribution. They also found ammunition and over $1,500 in cash.
Santana was arrested and charged in La Crosse County Circuit Court for felony drug crimes, and was released on a signature bond on January 9, 2023. He failed to appear for a hearing in March, and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
Officers attempted to arrest Santana on this warrant on April 6. Officers saw the defendant leave his house on a scooter and attempted to stop him. Santana fled from the officers, and after a pursuit, officers arrested Santana. Santana was carrying a loaded 9 mm semiautomatic handgun, along with over 100 grams of methamphetamine and 6 grams of fentanyl, all packaged for distribution. Santana also had over $1,250 in cash. He admitted to selling both methamphetamine and fentanyl in a post-arrest interview. Santana admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had a previous felony conviction.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Conley remarked on the danger Santana posed to the community by combining drug dealing and carrying a loaded firearm. Judge Conley further noted that Santana was selling the same dangerous drugs that Santana had been addicted to most of his life. The judge found that Santana’s actions had made him a true threat to society.
The charges against Santana were the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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 that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Minnesota Man Charged with Gun & Drug Crimes
Jayvon E. Jones-Shields, 24, Rochester, Minnesota, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing cocaine with intent to distribute. The indictment alleges that on October 18, 2023, he possessed a loaded .22 caliber revolver and cocaine with intent to distribute. Jones-Shields was arrested in La Crosse on October 18.
If convicted, Jones-Shields faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison on the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and 20 years on the charge of possessing cocaine for distribution. The charge of possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime has a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum of life. Federal law requires that any penalty imposed for the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed.
The charges against Jones-Shields are the result of an investigation by the La Crosse Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Levins is handling the prosecution.
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 Charged with Distributing Heroin
James Davis Jr., 35, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with 12 counts of distributing heroin. The indictment alleges that he distributed heroin on 12 occasions from June through September 2023.
If convicted, Davis Jr. faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Levins and Aaron Wegner are handling the prosecution.
Mexican National Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.
Jose Luis Bautista Cruz, 26, a citizen of Mexico found in Clark County, Wisconsin, is charged with being found in the United States after having been removed. The indictment alleges he was found in the United States on November 12, 2023.
The charge against him is the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement and the Colby-Abbotsford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Louis Glinzak and Aaron Wegner are handling the prosecution.
Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Sex Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and one count of sex trafficking of a minor.
According to court documents, Austin Koeckeritz, 29, of River Falls, used force, threats of force, fraud and coercion to compel one adult victim into engaging in commercial sex acts in the River Falls area between August 2020 and August 2022. He also caused a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts in between October 2021 and January 2022.
“Sex trafficking continues to be prevalent because traffickers see the profits they can make from exploiting the vulnerable victims they target,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This type of abuse — particularly of minors — will not be tolerated. The Justice Department remains committed to prosecuting human trafficking offenses and standing up for the victims exploited by these abusers.”
“My office will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to hold human traffickers accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “Sex trafficking and forced prostitution are heinous crimes and our priority is to restore freedom and dignity to the victims.”
“Sex trafficking has lasting and devastating impacts on victims and their families throughout the state of Wisconsin,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “The investigation into Koeckeritz is just one example which highlights the dedication of the men and women of the FBI who work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners across the state to hold anyone accountable who chooses to exploit and harm others for profit.”
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled on a later date. Koeckeritz faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Milwaukee Field Office and the River Falls Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Pierce County District Attorney’s Office.
Trial Attorneys Slava Kuperstein and Julie Pfluger of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus for the Western District of Wisconsin are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
River Falls Man Pleads Guilty to Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A River Falls, Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and one count of sex trafficking of a minor.
According to court documents, Austin Koeckeritz, 29, of River Falls, used force, threats of force, fraud and coercion to compel one adult victim into engaging in commercial sex acts in the River Falls area between August 2020 and August 2022. The defendant also caused a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts in between October 2021 and January 2022.
“Sex trafficking continues to be prevalent because traffickers see the profits they can make from exploiting the vulnerable victims they target,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This type of abuse — particularly of minors — will not be tolerated. The Justice Department remains committed to prosecuting human trafficking offenses and standing up for the victims exploited by these abusers.”
“My office will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to hold human traffickers accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “Sex trafficking and forced prostitution are heinous crimes and our priority is to restore freedom and dignity to the victims.”
“Sex trafficking has lasting and devastating impacts on victims and their families throughout the state of Wisconsin,” stated Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “The investigation into Koeckeritz is just one example which highlights the dedication of the men and women of the FBI who work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners across the state to hold anyone accountable who chooses to exploit and harm others for profit.”
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled on a later date. Koeckeritz faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Milwaukee Field Office and the River Falls Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Pierce County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus of the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorneys Slava Kuperstein and Julie Pfluger of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Repeat Offender Sentenced to 6 Years for Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Robert Seymour, 37, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 6 years in federal prison for distributing heroin. Seymour pleaded guilty to this charge on August 31, 2023.
In May 2023, an informant told police that Seymour was trafficking heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine from an apartment in Madison and regularly carried a firearm. This information was quickly corroborated when, on May 31, and June 23, 2023, the informant made two controlled buys of heroin from Seymour, totaling over 70 grams. The heroin from the second buy was later determined to contain fentanyl. Upon searching Seymour’s apartment, police found more heroin and three loaded firearms.
Seymour has a lengthy criminal history, including a prior federal conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon. Further, he was on state court bond for drug trafficking at the time he committed this offense.
In sentencing Seymour, Judge Peterson stated that this was a highly aggravated crime involving dangerous drugs and firearms. He further explained that armed drug traffickers, like Seymour, pose a serious risk to the community. Lastly, Judge Peterson highlighted Seymour’s recent poor performance on federal supervision as a justification for a sentence above the advisory sentencing guideline range.
The charge against Seymour was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Reinhard prosecuted this case.
Man Sentenced to 6 ½ Years for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Rajiiv Isree, 32, a Jamaican citizen who was living in Baraboo, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 78 months in prison for distributing child pornography. Isree is likely to be deported following his release from prison, but if he is not, the prison term will be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Isree pleaded guilty to this charge on August 7, 2023.
On July 2, 2022, a 15-year-old girl reported that she had been sexually assaulted by Isree. Further investigation showed that the defendant filmed the assault and sent her a video of it. Law enforcement found additional videos of the defendant engaged in sexual activity with the minor sexually the girl on the defendant’s phone.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson said that the defendant took advantage of a vulnerable girl when he engaged in sexual conduct with her and that videoing the conduct amplified the harm to the victim.
The charge against Isree was the result of an investigation conducted by the Lake Delton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
Madison Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Possessing Heroin for Distribution & Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Reggie Golden, 39, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 30 months for possessing heroin with intent to distribute and illegally possessing a firearm. Golden pleaded guilty to these charges on July 18, 2023.
On March 1, 2023, law enforcement officers from the Madison Police Department and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force located Golden, who was wanted on state drug charges, inside of a mall in Madison. After arresting Golden, officers asked him whether he had any firearms. Golden admitted that he had a gun inside of a bag that he wore across his torso. Officers removed the bag, searched it, and found a loaded 9 mm pistol, a digital scale, two cell phones, and 19 individual packages that contained a total of 21 grams of a substance that field-tested positive for fentanyl and heroin.
During a post-arrest interview, Golden waived his Miranda rights and admitted that he possessed the heroin and firearm. He claimed he purchased the pistol from an unknown person at a gas station two months before his arrest. Golden also admitted to being a 26-year member of the Black Disciples street gang.
In sentencing Golden, Judge Peterson noted that Golden has a history of illegally possessing firearms. Judge Peterson also highlighted the danger that guns pose to the community when used by drug traffickers.
United States Attorney O’Shea stated, “Armed drug dealers are dangerous in two ways. First, opiate drugs like fentanyl and heroin are incredibly addictive and dangerous. A single dose containing fentanyl can kill. Second, the risk of community danger increases exponentially when drug dealers, like Golden, carry high powered weapons. My office is dedicated to working with communities and our law enforcement partners to hold armed drug dealers accountable.”
The charges against Golden were the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma prosecuted this case.