Western District of Wisconsin
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Michigan Man Sentenced for Threats to Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Justin Ward, 32, Ironwood, Michigan, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James Peterson to time served and three years of supervised release for making threats to injure law enforcement. Ward pleaded guilty to this charge on May 22, 2026.
On January 29, 2026, the Gogebic County (Michigan) Sheriff’s Office was investigating Ward for threatening to kill an Ironwood law enforcement officer. Deputies learned that Ward was not at his residence and viewed his Facebook page, which showed that he was travelling through Northern Wisconsin toward Duluth. While enroute Ward posted threats that he was on his way to kill ICE agents. At the time, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was engaged in a widely publicized operation in Minneapolis. Ward was arrested and charged with making threats to kill ICE agents.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson considered that Ward had suffered a mental health crisis leading up to his conduct in the case and also found that Ward, who had remained in custody since his arrest, had already served a sentence consistent with the guideline range for the offense. Judge Peterson imposed strict supervised release conditions, including a curfew and GPS monitoring.
The charge against Ward was the result of an investigation conducted by the Gogebic County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jerome Sinclair, 36, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 5 years in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Sinclair pleaded guilty to this charge on June 15, 2026.
In September 2025, investigators with the La Crosse Police Department identified Jerome Sinclair as a methamphetamine and fentanyl dealer operating in La Crosse. In October 2025, investigators purchased 60 grams of methamphetamine from Sinclair. In November 2025, investigators purchased 5 grams of fentanyl from Sinclair at his apartment. During that controlled purchase, Sinclair weighed and packaged the fentanyl in close proximity to a young child. Later in November, investigators purchased 114 grams of methamphetamine from Sinclair, again at his residence. In December 2025, investigators executed a search warrant at Sinclair’s residence and found methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson noted that he was concerned that Sinclair already had a serious prior felony, for Armed Robbery, and was now facing another serious charge in this federal case.
The charge against Sinclair was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. The La Crosse County District Attorney’s Office also with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Jennifer R. Remington and Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe.
Madison Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years for Illegally Possessing Firearm While on Supervision for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Johnell L. Britt, 28, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to a total of 62 months in prison. Judge Conley sentenced Britt to 48 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and to 18 months in prison, to be served consecutively, for violating the terms of his supervised release. Britt pleaded guilty to the firearms charge on April 27, 2026.
On December 11, 2025, law enforcement searched Britt’s apartment and found a firearm concealed in a bag. An analyst with the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory confirmed Britt’s DNA was on the firearm. Britt later admitted that he picked up the firearm and put it in the bag. At the time of the offense, Britt was on federal supervision for an armed robbery conviction.
At sentencing, Judge Conley considered Britt’s history of endangering people, having been convicted of armed robbery on two separate occasions. Judge Conley noted that Britt presents a danger to society and that his willingness to possess a firearm despite his prior convictions and supervision status was a reckless decision.
The charge against Britt was the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force and the Madison Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the State of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon prosecuted this case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Escapee Sentenced to Additional Prison TimeRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Joseph Hoult, 39, Urbana, Illinois, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 10 months in federal prison for escaping from a community corrections facility. Hoult’s sentence will run consecutive to his remaining undischarged sentence. Hoult plead guilty to this charge on July 8, 2026.
On December 20, 2013, Hoult was sentenced to federal prison by a judge in the Central District of Illinois. Hoult was transferred to a community corrections facility in the Western District of Wisconsin on October 24, 2025. On November 30, 2025, Hoult removed his GPS monitoring device and escaped from the community corrections facility. Hoult remained undetected until his arrest on March 18, 2026.
At sentencing Judge Conley explained that a period of additional incarceration was warranted given Hoult’s troubling decision to escape.
The charge against Hoult was the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Reinhard prosecuted this case.
Woman Sentenced to Two Years for Embezzling from Jackson County School DistrictRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Danielle Mittermeyer, 47, Conrath, Wisconsin, has been sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to two years in federal prison for embezzling money from a federally funded organization. The prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release. As part of her sentence, Mittermeyer was ordered to pay $261,690 in restitution. Mittermeyer pleaded guilty to the charge on May 7, 2026, and paid restitution before sentencing.
Mittermeyer previously worked as the business official for the School District of Alma Center-Humbird-Merrillan, also known as the Lincoln School District. In that role, she was responsible for making payments for the district, collecting and depositing cash, and tracking finances. Between 2021 and 2025, she embezzled more than a quarter million dollars through a variety of means, including skimming cash and using district funds to pay the balance on her personal credit card. She concealed her criminal conduct from the district and its auditors by duplicating invoices from legitimate vendors, altering check reports presented to the school board, setting herself and her credit card company up as vendors in the district’s accounting software, and keeping a second (fraudulent) cash receipt book.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson explained that Mittermeyer’s conduct was not the result of a one-time mistake or lapse of judgment. She embezzled money over multiple years, even as she attended meetings where the district’s resulting financial difficulties were discussed. Judge Peterson did not accept Mittermeyer’s assertion that she did not realize the scope or impact of her crime while she was committing it, noting that Mittermeyer is an accountant and knows how to track money. Her conduct, according to the judge, rose to the level of “almost cruelty.”
The charge against Mittermeyer was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan R. Stelljes prosecuted this case.
Wausau Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Sher Khang, 41, Wausau, Wisconsin, has been sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 5 years in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Khang pleaded guilty to this charge on May 27, 2026.
On October 2, 2025, a confidential informant purchased 27 grams of methamphetamine from Khang in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. Following the purchase, investigators stopped Khang’s vehicle and recovered 320 grams of methamphetamine, $400 in cash, drug packaging, and an item that appeared to be a homemade weapon.
In imposing a sentence, Judge Peterson noted that Khang’s criminal history and prior performance on supervision were troubling.
The charge against Khang was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of agents from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Marquette County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Wood County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Stevens Point Police Department, Waupaca Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The Wood County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Madison Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Drug Trafficking in Homeland Security Task Force CaseRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Noah A. Hodges, 44, Madison, Wisconsin, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 5 years in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Hodges pleaded guilty to this charge on May 5, 2026.
In early 2024, law enforcement began investigating members of a drug trafficking organization operating in Dane County. During the investigation, officers worked with confidential informants to purchase significant quantities of drugs. Officers seized drugs, firearms, and cash during search warrants executed at residences and vehicles associated with the organization.
Hodges was identified as a distributor for the drug trafficking organization. After observing likely drug activity by Hodges on February 6, 2025, police contacted Hodges in a vehicle. Law enforcement ultimately searched Hodges and the vehicle and seized a total of 355 grams of methamphetamine and 12 grams of heroin/fentanyl. At the time, Hodges was on state supervision for two felony intoxicated driving offenses. His supervision in those cases was later revoked, and he served a revocation sentence in state prison.
In determining an appropriate federal sentence, Judge Conley weighed the significant quantity of methamphetamine involved and the fact that Hodges committed the new crimes while on state supervision against Hodges’s progress on pretrial release.
The charge against Hodges was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Wisconsin State Patrol, and Madison Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Kathryn Ginsberg prosecuted this case.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Program initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of federal law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Green County Cheese Manufacturer Sentenced to Probation and $237,500 Fine for Criminally Violating Clean Water ActRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Wisconsin Cheese Group, LLC, a company headquartered in Monroe, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. Magistrate Judge Anita M. Boor to one-year of probation for violating the Clean Water Act. The company was also ordered to pay a $237,500 fine, to make improvements to its facility, and to engage with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on future permitting issues. The company pleaded guilty to this charge on June 4, 2026.
It is a crime under the Clean Water Act for an industrial user of a publicly owned treatment works to negligently discharge pollutants in a manner that causes a municipality to violate a federally enforceable wastewater permit. Between June 6, 2022, and November 5, 2022, Wisconsin Cheese Group disrupted the Village of Monticello’s treatment works on 19 days due to releases of untreated wastewater from its cheese manufacturing plant into the municipal sewer. The company exceeded the biological oxygen demand (BOD) limit in its own permit by high margins, including multiple discharges that exceeded the limit by more than 1500%. At the time of the discharges, the company did not have specific controls to ensure compliance with its permit and did not adequately train employees on wastewater management.
“The defendant’s criminally negligent discharges of untreated industrial wastewater into the publicly owned sewer system disrupted the system on multiple occasions,” said Allison Landsman, Special Agent in Charge of the Environmental Protection Administration’s (EPA) criminal enforcement program in Wisconsin. “Violations of the Clean Water Act can endanger human health, wildlife, and the environment by causing untreated industrial waste and sewage to flow into our rivers and streams. The guilty plea in this case reflects the seriousness of these actions and EPA’s commitment to protecting our natural resources and the communities that rely upon them.”
Explaining why she found the offense so serious, Judge Boor observed that the violations were “entirely avoidable” with better planning as the company ramped up production at its Monticello plant. Instead, the company “overwhelmed” the local wastewater treatment plant and became a “neighborhood polluter.” The judge also faulted the company for a “lackluster” response to its early violations, which allowed the criminal conduct to continue for months. She did commend the company for cooperating with the government’s investigation and committing to facility improvements, which will be enforced as conditions of probation.
The charge against Wisconsin Cheese Group was the result of an investigation conducted by the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Stelljes prosecuted this case.
Citizen of Mexico Sentenced to 3 Years for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Cesar Ordonez Gonzalez, 32, a citizen of Mexico found in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 3 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Ordonez Gonzalez pleaded guilty to this charge on June 3, 2026.
On December 27, 2025, Ordonez Gonzalez approached a parked vehicle and displayed a firearm from his pocket to the driver and passenger. The occupants drove away and reported it to law enforcement. Officers then saw Ordonez Gonzalez running away from the scene, arrested him, and found the stolen firearm on his person. Ordonez Gonzalez was previously convicted of strangulation and suffocation, a class H felony, in Dane County Circuit Court.
At sentencing, Judge Conley considered Ordonez Gonzalez’s violent prior conviction and determined that he presents a risk to society.
The charge against Ordonez Gonzalez was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department, the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Agents from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Remington and Colleen Lennon prosecuted this case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe.
Stoughton Man Sentenced to More Than 7 Years for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Joshua Hole, 29, Stoughton, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 87 months in federal prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for distributing child pornography. Hole pleaded guilty to this charge on April 20, 2026.
In 2019, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a tip that Hole was using an instant messaging application to trade child pornography. Hole was interviewed by law enforcement, and while several images of child pornography were found on his phone, he was not ultimately charged.
In March 2025, Toledo, Ohio, police arrested an individual after he traveled to the area to sexually abuse what he believed to be, a 7-year-old girl and a 6-month-old infant. An examination of the individual’s phone showed he had been chatting with and sharing child pornography with Hole via Telegram Messenger. Specifically, law enforcement found exchanges from March 24, 2025, where Hole and the individual exchanged images and videos of toddlers and infants being sexually abused, as well as chats where Hole encouraged the individual to travel to sexually abuse an infant. Hole was charged with distribution of child pornography, based on this conduct, on November 19, 2025.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson noted that Hole had not redirected his life after his 2019 contact with law enforcement, which demonstrated Hole’s powerful compulsion for child pornography. Judge Peterson further explained that the nature of the images, and the violent and sadistic chats between the defendant and other pedophiles, were aggravating factors at sentencing. Finally, Judge Peterson stressed that Hole’s conduct was a vivid illustration of how consumers of child pornography put real children at risk.
“Protecting the most vulnerable in our communities is more than just a legal responsibility, it is a moral imperative,” said U.S. Attorney Elgersma. “Anyone who preys on or endangers our children will be held accountable for their crimes.”
The charge against Hole was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Stoughton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger prosecuted this case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Madison Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Homeland Security Task Force Case Involving Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Andre B. Morriss, 49, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on July 1, 2026 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 7 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Morriss pleaded guilty to this charge on April 15, 2026.
On March 12, 2024, investigators purchased 28 grams of methamphetamine and 15 grams of fentanyl from Morriss at his residence in Madison, Wisconsin. The next day, Morriss was arrested during a traffic stop in Sauk Prairie based on an active Wisconsin Department of Corrections warrant.
After his arrest, Morriss remained in custody, but he continued to communicate with an associate via jail video visit calls, often discussing their drug trafficking business. Over the following weeks, Morriss and the associate discussed their drug trafficking customers, specific drug sales that were to take place, and Morriss gave the associate advice on drug trafficking, including prices, how to keep customers happy while making money, and to have the associate tell customers that Morriss was still in charge. During the period of these calls, investigators purchased hundreds of grams of methamphetamine and smaller quantities of fentanyl from the associate.
At sentencing, Judge Conley highlighted Morriss’ lengthy criminal record and said the number of times he had previously been revoked from supervision was concerning. Judge Conley felt Morriss should be outgrowing his criminal behavior at his age, but instead, his conduct was escalating.
The charge against Morriss was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Wisconsin State Patrol, and Madison Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Kathryn Ginsberg prosecuted this case.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Program initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of federal law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Eugene Spears, 42, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 6 years in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Spears pleaded guilty this charge on March 23, 2026.
On February 28, 2025, law enforcement learned Spears was traveling to a drug transaction and stopped his vehicle in Ferryville, Wisconsin. Agents found over 250 grams of methamphetamine that Spears admitted he intended to sell to multiple individuals. At the time of the traffic stop, Spears was out on bond for a state drug case.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson acknowledged Spears’s substantial substance addiction was a driving factor for his criminality. However, Judge Peterson noted that Spears’s lengthy criminal history, poor performance on supervision, and escalation in the quantity of drugs he was distributing warranted a long sentence to protect the public and promote deterrence.
The charge against Spears was the result of an investigation conducted by the Prairie du Chien Police Department, Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, City of La Crosse Police Department, and Wisconsin State Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Drug Investigation in Dane County Successfully Concludes After Last Defendant SentencedRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced the successful conclusion of a multi-year drug trafficking investigation in Dane County, following the sentencing of the last of thirteen defendants.
U.S. Attorney Elgersma praised the tireless efforts of the law enforcement agents throughout the State who worked together to dismantle this large-scale narcotics distribution organization. “These thirteen convictions mark a decisive blow against a multi-state criminal organization that threatened the safety of our communities. The success of this investigation is the direct result of a coordinated effort between federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who worked together, through a whole of government strategy, to dismantle a high-level fentanyl trafficking operation. I commend the investigators who worked tirelessly to protect families and hold the individuals who sell this poison accountable.”
The investigation revealed a large-scale drug trafficking organization led by Lloyd McKire-Bennett that was responsible for bringing kilograms of fentanyl pills into Madison from Arizona. Law enforcement began investigating the organization in January 2022, following the seizure of two mail packages that each contained a kilogram of fentanyl pills (almost 20,000 pills in total). Both packages were mailed by individuals in Arizona to addresses in Madison.
The year-long investigation involved twenty-three controlled purchases of fentanyl pills, the seizure of a third drug-laden mail package (which contained 1.75 kilograms of fentanyl pills), arrests and warranted searches of residences and vehicles where narcotics and firearms were seized. As part of the investigation, officers seized almost 5 kilograms of fentanyl pills, 10 firearms, and over $97,000 in U.S. currency. Photos from the case include:
Photos of two kilograms of fentanyl pills seized from the mail in January 2022.
Photo of fentanyl, cocaine, and cash seized from McKire-Bennett’s residence on November 28, 2022.
The following defendants were sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson as part of the federal prosecution:
• Messiah A. Fleming, 24, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced in December 2023 to 4 years in federal prison followed by 4 years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a felon and possessing fentanyl intended for distribution.
• Lloyd M. McKire-Bennett, 30, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced in May 2024 to 164 months in federal prison followed by 6 years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possessing firearms and ammunition as a felon.
• Deshawn P. Davis, 31, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced in May 2024 to 66 months in federal prison followed by 4 years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
• Dejon C. Glover, 25, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced in May 2024 to 4 ½ years in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release, for attempting to possess fentanyl intended for distribution.
• Alicia M. Allen, 40, Windsor, Wisconsin, was sentenced in May 2024 to 4 years in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possessing 40 grams or more of fentanyl intended for distribution and money laundering.
• Yoshi R. Walker, 27, New Brighton, Minnesota, was sentenced in July 2024 to 6 years in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, for attempting to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
• Christopher S. Wilson, 30, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced in July 2024 to 5 years in federal prison followed by 4 years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
• John A. Maser, 37, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced in August 2024 to 4 months in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release, for attempting to possess fentanyl intended for distribution.
• Davonte F. King, 31, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced in September 2024 to 7 years in federal prison followed by 6 years of supervised release, for possessing fentanyl intended for distribution and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
• Tyez D. D. Boyd, 28, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced in November 2024 to 3 years in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a felon.
• Dantrell T. Stevenson, 33, Matteson, Illinois, was sentenced in December 2024 to 2 years in federal prison followed by 4 years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute fentanyl.
• Jessica E. Leyvas, 40, Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced in January 2026 to 5 years of probation, for attempting to distribute fentanyl.
• Kevin L. Simmons, 32, Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced on June 30, 2026, to 12 years in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute fentanyl.
The charges against these individuals were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS Criminal Investigation, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Dane County Narcotics Task Force. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The task force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. The investigation was awarded the 2023 Wisconsin Narcotics Officers Association Investigation of the Year. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Program initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of federal law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Marathon County Man Sentenced to 7 ½ Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Tyler Briggs, 33, Mosinee, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 7 ½ years in federal prison for possessing methamphetamine intended for distribution. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Briggs pled guilty to this charge on April 23, 2026.
On January 29, 2026, an undercover officer with the Wausau Police Department arranged to buy a small amount of methamphetamine from Briggs outside of a Wausau bar. When Briggs arrived, police arrested him and found over 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine in his backpack. During an interview, Briggs admitted to police that he was a drug dealer.
At Briggs’s sentencing, Judge Conley observed that over the past several years, Briggs had spent more time in jail than out in the community. Judge Conley found that the lengthy sentence was necessary because the large amount of methamphetamine in this case put Briggs in an entirely different category of drug distributor.
The charge against Briggs was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of agents from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins prosecuted the case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Seven Sentenced in Homeland Security Task Force Drug CaseRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that in separate sentencings, seven men have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley for their roles in a large drug trafficking organization operating in Madison.
Keean Moore, 49, Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced on May 22, 2026, to 11 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and fentanyl. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Moore pleaded guilty to the charge on February 27, 2026.
Jimmie Leuaxay, 33, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on May 28, 2026, to a total sentence of 15 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and fentanyl and for possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Leuaxay pleaded guilty to these charges on February 26, 2026. Leuaxay was also ordered to forfeit 16 guns, ammunition, and more than $26,000.
James Dubois, 31, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on May 28, 2026, to 66 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Dubois pleaded guilty to the charge on March 11, 2026.
James Land, 37, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on June 4, 2026, to 6 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Land pleaded guilty to the charge on March 12, 2026.
Keean Moore Jr., 26, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on June 16, 2026, to 5 years in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as a felon. The prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Moore Jr. pleaded guilty to the charges on March 24, 2026.
Travis Corrado, 46, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on June 17, 2026, to 5 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Corrado pleaded guilty to the charge on March 24, 2026.
Shavarim Wicks, 48, Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced on June 17, 2026, to 5 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Wicks pleaded guilty to the charge on April 8, 2026.
In early 2024, law enforcement began investigating members of a drug trafficking organization operating in Dane County led by Jamar Purnell. During the investigation, officers worked with confidential informants to purchase significant quantities of drugs. Officers seized drugs and firearms during search warrants executed at residences and vehicles associated with the organization.
Wicks, Moore, and Leuaxay were identified as primary distributors for Purnell. They would deliver methamphetamine, heroin/fentanyl, and cocaine on behalf of Purnell. Wicks operated as Purnell’s primary distributor from early 2024 until his arrest on May 29, 2024.
On May 29, 2024, Wicks delivered 449 grams of methamphetamine and 3 grams of heroin/fentanyl to a confidential informant in Madison. Investigators arrested him later that day and searched the vehicle he was operating, finding 38 grams of heroin/fentanyl, 12 grams of cocaine, and $5,730 in U.S. currency, which included prerecorded buy money. Investigators also executed a search warrant at a residence in Madison where Wicks and Purnell trafficked drugs. There, investigators located 10,720 grams of methamphetamine and 166 grams of heroin/fentanyl.
On July 31, 2024, Moore delivered 549 grams of methamphetamine on behalf of Purnell to a confidential informant in Madison. On January 3, 2025, Moore delivered 454 grams of methamphetamine on behalf of Purnell to a confidential informant in Madison.
On September 12, 2024, Leuaxay delivered 446 grams of methamphetamine on behalf of Purnell to a confidential informant in Madison. On October 15, 2024, Leuaxay delivered 447 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Madison.
On March 18, 2025, investigators executed a search warrant at Leuaxay’s residence in Madison and found seventeen firearms in the master bedroom. They also found 223 caliber ammunition, 357 ammunition, 45 caliber ammunition, and 9mm ammunition, 189 grams of cocaine, $26,225 in U.S. currency, and body armor.
Also on March 18, 2025, investigators executed a search warrant at Moore’s residence in Madison and found 389 grams of methamphetamine, 226 grams of cocaine, 688 grams of marijuana, 22 caliber ammunition, and $2,000 in U.S. currency.
Dubois, Land, Corrado, and Moore Jr. were identified as drug distributors for the organization. Investigators attributed the following drug quantities obtained for further distribution: over 2,200 grams of methamphetamine and 190 grams of fentanyl for Dubois, over 1,300 grams of methamphetamine and 80 grams of fentanyl for Land, and over 1,100 grams of methamphetamine and 120 grams of fentanyl for Corrado.
Moore Jr. operated at the direction of his father, Moore. On August 9, 2024, Moore Jr. delivered 450 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Madison at the direction of Moore. On July 9, 2025, investigators arrested Moore Jr. on a federal arrest warrant. He was searched incident to his arrest and found in possession of a loaded Ruger .380 caliber pistol. Moore Jr. is a previously convicted felon and unable to legally possess a firearm.
Jamar Purnell, 49, Chicago, Illinois, was previously sentenced by Judge Conley to a total sentence of 20 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
A total of sixteen individuals were charged in connection with this drug trafficking organization. Treagir Sander, Kyle Haag, and Waylon Degenhardt have entered guilty pleas for their involvement and will be sentenced in the coming months. Alisha Lavine is scheduled for a plea hearing on July 14, 2026. Cases against Dajuea M. Purnell, William M. Marshall, Anthony E. Hohenstein, and Yasir W. Stackhouse are still pending, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charges against Moore, Leuaxay, Dubois, Land, Corrado, Wicks, and Moore Jr. were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Wisconsin State Patrol, and Madison Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Kathryn Ginsberg prosecuted this case.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Program initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of federal law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Citizen of Mexico Sentenced to 54 Months for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Alfredo Juarez-Perez, 55, Monterey, Mexico, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Conley to 54 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States. Juarez-Perez pleaded guilty to this charge on April 9, 2026.
In March of 2025, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Sex Offender Registry received an anonymous tip that Juarez-Perez was in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and had failed to register as a sex offender as required. Following his arrest on that charge, law enforcement discovered that he had been deported twice before – once in 2018 and again in 2021 – following convictions for illegal reentry in the Western District of Wisconsin and the Southern District of Texas. Juarez-Perez also has a prior federal conviction for distribution of cocaine and has been convicted of sexual assault twice in Dane County, Wisconsin.
“Today’s sentence underscores that repeated criminal behavior, especially serious offenses like unlawful reentry, narcotics trafficking, and violent assault, will be met with decisive consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Elgersma. “Juarez-Perez has shown a clear disregard for our laws and for the safety of the community. My office remains committed to working with our partners to ensure that those who persist in endangering the public are identified, apprehended, and held fully accountable.”
At the sentencing, Judge Conley noted that since Juarez-Perez first entered the United States in 1990, he had been convicted of multiple drunk driving offenses, distribution of cocaine, sexual assault, and had failed to maintain his sex offender registry. Judge Conley stressed that these behaviors, along with Juarez-Perez’s criminal thinking, made him a danger to the community.
The charge against Juarez-Perez was the result of an investigation conducted by the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Pfluger and Louis Glinzak prosecuted this case.
Six Charged in Homeland Security Task Force Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that six people have been charged with drug trafficking in the Madison, Wisconsin area. All the defendants have now made their initial appearances in federal court.
Christain Garrett, 26, Jerden Montgomery, 55, Edward McClain, 56, and Antanisha Branch, 29, of Madison, Wisconsin, and Tevin Newell, 27, and Cierra McGary, 28, of Chicago, Illinois, are charged with conspiring to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine base, methamphetamine, and fentanyl between March 3, 2025, and January 27, 2026.
Montgomery is also charged with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon on October 9, 2025.
Garrett and Newell are also charged with possessing more than 280 grams of cocaine base intended for distribution on February 25, 2026.
Garrett appeared in federal court on March 2, 2026, and was ordered detained pending trial. Newell and McGary both appeared on May 7, 2026. Branch appeared on June 4, 2026. McClain made his initial appearance on June 11, 2026, while Montgomery appeared on June 12, 2026. Trial dates have not yet been set.
If convicted for their roles in the conspiracy, Garrett and Newell each face a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. If convicted, McGary faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. If convicted, Montgomery, McClain, and Branch each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The charges against them are the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Madison Police Department, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigations, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force is comprised of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins is handling the case.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Program initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of federal law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
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.
Rockford Man Sentenced to 6 ½ Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kendrick Payton, 31, Rockford, Illinois, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 6 ½ years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl. Payton pleaded guilty to this charge on April 15, 2026. The prison term will be followed by a five-year term of supervised release.
Between December 18, 2024, and February 18, 2025, Payton sold heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine multiple times in Beloit, Wisconsin. Payton sold more than 150 grams of fentanyl over the course of four controlled buys.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson found Payton’s criminal history concerning. He commented that Payton was not ready to stop dealing drugs without court intervention. Judge Peterson also noted that Payton had been involved in criminal conduct since his childhood.
The charges against Payton were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Rock County Sheriff’s Office, and the Winnebago County, Illinois Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Glinzak prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Federal Jury Convicts Madison Man of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Madison, Wisconsin, man has been convicted of distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl and for possessing those same drugs for distribution. Jonathan Conley, 44, was convicted following a four-day trial in federal court in Madison. The jury reached a verdict yesterday after just over six hours of deliberation. The guilty verdict is announced by Chadwick M. Elgersma, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. Following the guilt phase, Conley stipulated that prior to these offenses, he had been convicted of a serious drug felony as also alleged in the superseding indictment.
The government presented evidence at trial that on October 24, 2023, Conley distributed approximately 770 grams of methamphetamine and 29 grams of fentanyl to an individual, who was later arrested in New Lisbon, Wisconsin, with the drugs in her vehicle. The government also presented evidence that on February 7, 2024, Conley possessed approximately 204 grams of methamphetamine and 44 grams of fentanyl intended for distribution. The drugs were recovered at a residence in Madison.
A witness from the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory confirmed the chemical composition of the controlled substances. A separate witness from the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory testified that Conley’s DNA was present on several of the baggies recovered from the vehicle and several of the baggies recovered from the residence. A witness from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration testified that the quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl found in the residence were consistent with an intent to distribute the drugs rather than an intent to use the drugs personally.
Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson scheduled sentencing for September 9, 2026. Conley faces a minimum penalty of ten years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
The case was investigated by the New Lisbon Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Wisconsin State Patrol. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Ginsberg and Steve Anderson.
Madison Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years for Drug Trafficking and Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Steve E. Adams, 43, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced last week by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 62 months in federal prison for distributing heroin and fentanyl and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Adams pleaded guilty to these charges on March 20, 2026.
Between May 6, 2025, and June 18, 2025, Adams sold a mixture of heroin and fentanyl multiple times on the east side of Madison. In late June, officers searched Adams’ house and found more drugs, a hydraulic press, and a loaded Ruger-57, 5.7x28 caliber pistol. Adams is prohibited from legally possessing firearms or ammunition because of a prior felony conviction.
Judge Peterson remarked that the hydraulic press suggested Adams was engaged in “more than basic street level” dealing. The judge was troubled that Adams engaged in this criminal behavior despite having a well-paying job in the construction industry.
The charges against Adams were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents from ATF as well as state and local agents throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Stelljes and Alex Samuel prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminals, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Reedsburg Man on Parole for Homicide Sentenced to 8 Years for Illegally Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that David Davis, 54, Reedsburg, Wisconsin, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 8 years in federal prison for possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. Davis pleaded guilty to this charge on March 18, 2026.
On June 5, 2025, Reedsburg police executed a search warrant at Davis’s residence. While searching the bedroom, investigators found a loaded Hi-Point 9mm handgun, a Polymer 80 privately made handgun, and two AR15s with loaded magazines nearby. One of the AR15s had an obliterated serial number.
In 1991 Davis was convicted of being a party to the crime of homicide in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was sentenced to life in prison but was released on parole in 2020. As a convicted felon, Davis is prohibited from legally possessing firearms and ammunition.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that these weapons could cause a lot of damage and that Davis was also dealing drugs in a grocery store parking lot. Judge Conley also found that Davis obstructed justice by trying to get another individual to falsely claim the guns belonged to them. Judge Conley sentenced Davis to 8 years in prison to run concurrently with his parole revocation sentence.
The charge against Davis was the result of an investigation conducted by the Reedsburg Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents from ATF as well as state and local agents throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Canadian Citizen Sentenced to 3 Years for Defrauding U.S. Victims Out of More Than $1.2 MillionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Michel Poirier, 60, Montreal, Canada, was sentenced on June 10, 2026, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 3 years in federal prison for mail fraud. Poirier pleaded guilty to this charge on March 20, 2026, following his extradition from Canada.
Between 2011 and May 2016, operating out of Canada, Poirier orchestrated a mass marketing fraud scheme that targeted printing companies and consumers in the United States, including the Western District of Wisconsin, resulting in a loss to victims of more than $1.2 million.
Using aliases, Poirier contacted printing companies in the U.S., representing that he was working for direct mail companies looking for United States suppliers to handle mass mailings of brochures. After the victim printing companies incurred costs for printing and mailing the brochures, the companies received business checks from Poirier that drew on either closed accounts or accounts with insufficient funds. When the victim printing companies sought alternative forms of payment, Poirier stopped answering emails and telephone calls.
The brochures printed and mailed by the victim printing companies promoted weight loss products sold by Poirier. These marketing materials contained numerous false statements and material omissions, including: (1) testimonials from fictitious clients; (2) statements of product authenticity from fictitious doctors; and (3) a fictitious money back guarantee. Consumers who received the brochures and purchased weight loss products were defrauded out of their money.
At sentencing, Judge Conley called the crime callous stating that Poirier failed to appreciate the financial and emotional harm to the victims. Further, Judge Conley found that Poirier perpetuated this elaborate scheme, which involved layers of misrepresentations, for over seven years and that this was a significant factor in imposing the three-year prison term.
The charge against Poirier was the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Internal Revenue Service, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of International Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Reinhard prosecuted this case.
Wausau Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Wausau man has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Madison to wire fraud and money laundering, according to Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
Stanley Pophal, 64, Wausau, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty today to defrauding investors out of $14.25 million and using investor funds to fund his lifestyle.
”Today’s plea hearing makes one thing unmistakably clear: those who prey on hardworking people through deceit and greed will face decisive consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Elgersma. “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to pursuing financial criminals wherever they hide, and we will never hesitate to bring the full weight of the justice system against anyone who abuses the public’s trust. I applaud the investigators for their hard work and commitment to holding Pophal accountable for his crimes.”
“Stanley Pophal built a façade of wealth and success, then used that illusion to convince people to hand over their hard-earned money,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Instead of investing those funds as promised, he spent them financing a lifestyle he could not afford and kept the scheme alive by using new victims’ money to make payments to earlier investors. We will continue pursuing criminals who enrich themselves at the expense of honest people and hold them accountable for the damage they leave behind.”
“The FBI will always follow the money to root out investment fraud schemes. Stanley Pophal operated a multiyear scheme in which he made false promises to investors. His actions led to the victimization of people while Pophal pocketed their money. Pophal then spent victims’ money to fund his personal life and hobbies to include payment of his mortgage and purchasing hundreds of snowmobiles,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr. “In addition to Pophal’s guilty plea, he will be ordered to pay significant financial restitution. The FBI is committed to working with our partners to bring those who seek to enrich themselves by taking advantage of others to justice.”
According to court documents, between May 2019 and June 2025, Pophal, using the business name Bright with Silver, Inc. (formerly DBA Fromm Bros., Inc.), offered investment opportunities; including cryptocurrency, real estate flipping, artificial intelligence technology, gold, silver, and emeralds. Pophal convinced most investors to sign investment contracts, which he styled as promissory notes. The promissory notes guaranteed investors a rate of return of at least 20%. Pophal told investors that he was able to secure high rates of return because he had connections in the finance, commodities, and real estate sectors.
Pophal also repeatedly told investors that even if his investments on their behalf were not successful, their investment principal was never at risk because he had enough personal wealth to repay each investor's principal. He told investors that he had accumulated his wealth through past business and investment success. In fact, Pophal’s claims of past business success were exaggerated, and his claims of vast personal wealth were false. Pophal never had sufficient funds to personally guarantee each investor’s principal.
Pophal used the vast majority of money he received from investors to pay his personal and business expenses, fund personal travel, pay his mortgage, rent a private plane, and purchase snowmobiles, motorcycles, and vehicles.
To further the fraud scheme, Pophal made “ponzi” payments to early victims, falsely representing the payments to be investment returns or interest, when in truth the payments were comprised of funds from new investors.
Pophal will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley on September 2, 2026.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement agents seized more than 600 items Pophal purchased using investor funds. The items included hundreds of snowmobiles, which Pophal stored in a rented warehouse. Two photos from that warehouse are below. As part of his plea agreement with the government, Pophal agreed to forfeit these items. Public auction of these assets will occur at a later date.
The charges against Pophal are a result of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith P. Duchemin.
Chippewa Falls Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Illegally Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Michael A. Raskie Jr., 43, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, was sentenced this week by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 7 years in federal prison for possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. Raskie Jr. pleaded guilty to this charge on March 20, 2026.
On January 14, 2025, law enforcement searched Raskie Jr.’s house and found multiple firearms, including seven privately manufactured firearms, and more than 200 rounds of ammunition. He also had silencers, high-capacity magazines, and parts to assemble firearms.
Raskie Jr. is prohibited from legally possessing firearms or ammunition because of prior felony convictions; including a 2018 federal conviction for possessing firearms as a convicted felon.
At the sentencing, Judge Conley considered Raskie Jr.’s drug abuse history and prior federal sentence for firearms possession. Judge Conley expressed great concern over the aggravated nature of Raskie Jr.’s escalating behavior, particularly his decision to create an “arsenal” of firearms and high-capacity magazines.
The charge against Raskie Jr. was the result of an investigation conducted by the Lake Hallie Police Department, Chippewa County Sherriff’s Office, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents from ATF and state and local agents throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Madison Man Sentenced to Almost 8 Years for Illegally Possessing Firearms and Ammunition While on Federal SupervisionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Marvin Coates, 39, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 71 months in federal prison for possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. Coates pleaded guilty to this charge on March 18, 2026. Judge Peterson also sentenced Coats to an additional 24 months in federal prison for violating the terms of his supervised release.
On August 28, 2025, Madison police responded to a 911 call where the reporting party said that Coates had threatened an individual and followed that individual home. Police responded to the apartment complex and saw Coates getting into a car. Police stopped Coates and searched the surrounding area. Across the street, police found two firearms, a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun with nine rounds in the magazine and an SCCY 9mm handgun with an extended magazine holding 28 rounds. The firearms were wrapped in a t-shirt sitting on the rear wheel of a parked pickup truck.
Police obtained video surveillance from the apartment complex. The video showed Coates walking down the sidewalk toward his car carrying the t-shirt. As the Madison police squad car approached, Coates stopped near the rear of the pickup before crossing the street to head toward his car. The Wisconsin State Crime Lab later recovered Coates’s DNA on the firearms.
Coates is prohibited from legally possessing firearms or ammunition because of prior felony convictions including a 2020 federal conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon. In that case, Coates fired a handgun into the air during a disturbance. He was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was still on supervised release when he committed this offense.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson stressed that a goal of sentencing was to protect the community. Judge Peterson said that Coates failed to follow his rules of federal supervision, had a bad temper, was impulsive, and “demonstrated a resolute disrespect for every manifestation of the law.”
The charge against Coates was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents from ATF as well as state and local agents throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Minnesota Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Andrew Benvie, 43, Frazee, Minnesota pleaded guilty and was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 8 years in prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution. Benvie’s prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
On February 11, 2025, Superior Police Department officers responded to a call about an intoxicated driver. Officers found Benvie in his car at a local gas station and identified him as the alleged intoxicated driver. When officers searched Benvie’s vehicle, they found approximately 270 grams of methamphetamine and 27 grams of fentanyl pre-packaged for distribution. Officers also found a handgun between the driver’s seat and center counsel.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson classified Benvie’s armed drug trafficking as very serious misconduct. The seriousness of Benvie’s misconduct, coupled with his aggravated criminal history, led Judge Peterson to the 8-year sentence.
The charge against Benvie was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, and the Superior Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force is comprised of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Glinzak prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Chicago Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Leading a Large Drug Trafficking Organization and Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jamar M. Purnell, 49, Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 20 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The prison sentence will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Purnell pleaded guilty to these charges on March 4, 2026.
In early 2024, law enforcement began investigating members of a drug trafficking organization operating in Dane County led by Purnell. During the investigation, officers worked with confidential informants to purchase significant quantities of drugs. Officers seized large quantities of drugs and firearms during search warrants executed at residences and vehicles associated with Purnell. For example, investigators found over 10,000 grams of methamphetamine, 166 grams of fentanyl, and a loaded handgun containing Purnell’s DNA in just one drug house operated by Purnell in Madison. Because Purnell had previously been convicted of a felony he could not legally possess a firearm.
Purnell also oversaw both the supply and distribution sides of the organization. On the supply side, he coordinated the transportation of methamphetamine and fentanyl from suppliers in Arizona and Chicago to Madison. On the distribution side, he frequently arranged drug sales and then sent distributors to complete the sales.
Based on seizures and intercepted communications between March 2024 and March 2025, investigators conservatively estimate that Purnell was responsible for distributing approximately 28 kilograms of methamphetamine and 3,500 grams of fentanyl. In an interview following his arrest, Purnell said it was normal for him to obtain 50 pounds of methamphetamine at a time every two weeks from his supplier in Arizona. At the time of the investigation, Purnell was on supervision in Georgia for a prior drug trafficking conviction.
At sentencing, Judge Conley called the amount of drugs Purnell and his organization trafficked staggering and devastating to the community. Noting Purnell’s numerous prior drug trafficking convictions, Judge Conley commented that Purnell had made a career of drug trafficking for financial gain. Judge Conley pointed to Purnell’s brazen decision to continue drug trafficking even after investigators searched his drug house in Madison as evidence of his dangerousness to the community.
Fifteen others were also charged with Purnell in connection with this drug trafficking organization. Shavarim J. Wicks, Keean V. Moore, Keean V. Moore Jr., Jimmie A. Leuaxay, James L. Dubois, James K. Land, and Travis J. Corrado have pleaded guilty for their roles and are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming months. Cases against Dajuea M. Purnell, William M. Marshall, Treagir J. Sander, Kyle W. Haag, Anthony E. Hohenstein, Waylon R. Degenhardt, Alisha R. Lavine, and Yasir W. Stackhouse are still pending, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charges against Purnell were the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Wisconsin State Patrol, and Madison Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Kathryn Ginsberg prosecuted this case.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Program initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of federal law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
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Madison Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Battites Wesley, 55, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 84 months in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Wesley pleaded guilty to these charges on March 19, 2026.
While on state supervision following his release from prison for shooting someone, officers arrested Wesley during a traffic stop on September 5, 2024. When arrested, he possessed over 85 grams of methamphetamine, a loaded Beretta handgun, over $2,400, and two digital scales. During an interview with law enforcement, Wesley admitted to dealing various drugs and acknowledged the presence of the handgun found by law enforcement.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson expressed concern over Wesley’s decades-long pattern of criminal conduct and violations while on supervision. Judge Peterson also found Wesley’s possession of a loaded firearm particularly dangerous, given Wesley’s prior conviction for shooting another person.
The charges against Wesley were the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Madison Man Sentenced to 20 Months for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Curtis Perryman, 39, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced last week by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 20 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Perryman’s prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Perryman pleaded guilty to this charge on March 18, 2026.
During a dispute with another man in the foyer of an apartment building on July 21, 2025, Perryman retrieved a handgun from his apartment, returned to the foyer, pointed the gun at the male, and threatened him. When officers arrived at the scene, Perryman said his fiancé was the one who had the firearm, but surveillance video showed Perryman possessing the handgun before handing it to his fiancé. Officers found a Mossberg 9mm handgun with a loaded magazine next to it in Perryman’s apartment.
Perryman’s criminal history includes two juvenile robbery cases, one of which involved him possessing a sawed-off shotgun, and two adult robbery convictions that resulted in 15-year prison sentences. At the time of the federal offense, Perryman was under supervision for forgery and identity theft. Because of these felony convictions, Perryman was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson said Perryman escalated the dispute by introducing a gun. Perryman’s criminal record, impulsiveness, and willingness to engage in violence led Judge Peterson to conclude Perryman was a danger to the community.
The charge against Perryman was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents from ATF as well as state and local agents throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Former Kendall Bank Manager Sentenced to over 1 ½ Years for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Sandra Campfield, 68, Kendall, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 21 months in federal prison and a $50,000 fine for embezzling money by a bank employee. The prison term will be followed by 2 years of supervised release. As part of her sentence, Campfield was ordered to pay $395,103.67 in restitution to the victims of her embezzlement. Campfield pleaded guilty to this charge on February 18, 2026.
Campfield previously worked as the long-time branch manager of a bank in Elroy, Wisconsin. Between September 2012 and August 2024, she used her position at the bank to steal approximately $351,344 from customer accounts. Campfield also took approximately $43,758 worth of foreign currency from the bank’s vault.
At Campfield’s sentencing, Judge Conley expressed concern over the length and depth of Campfield’s embezzlement scheme and her use of “sophisticated methods” to conceal the fraud. Judge Conley also found it aggravated that Campfield abused her management position to execute her embezzlement.
The charge against Campfield was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Juneau County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins prosecuted the case.
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Former County Prosecutor Sentenced to 10 Years for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Adam J. Westbrook, 35, Neenah, Wisconsin, was sentenced last week by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 10 years in prison for distributing child pornography. The prison term will be followed by 20 years of supervised release. Westbrook pleaded guilty to this charge on September 16, 2024.
In early February 2024, law enforcement arrested a man in Kenosha County, Wisconsin for various sex crimes. They searched his phone and found several videos showing a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Evidence showed that Westbrook had sent the videos to the Kenosha County man.
Before sentencing, Judge Peterson reviewed a letter submitted by Westbrook. He found that Westbrook’s letter and statements at sentencing contained a mix of self-reflection and self-deception. Judge Peterson explained that while Westbrook demonstrated an acute awareness of the risk he posed, his self-deception made him an enormous risk to public safety.
Between his plea and Friday’s sentencing, Westbrook also attempted to withdraw his plea and filed a motion challenging the legality of the indictment. Judge Peterson found Westbrook’s actions inconsistent with accepting responsibility for his crime, which Judge Peterson concluded made Westbrook more dangerous.
The charge against Westbrook was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, the Kenosha County Sheriff's Office, and the Neenah and Lake Delton Police Departments, with assistance from the UK National Crime Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Louis Glinzak and Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Woman Wanted for Murder in Mexico Arrested for Illegal Reentry in Western WisconsinRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Alejandra Sanchez-Cuaquehua, 32, a Mexican citizen who was residing in Barron County, Wisconsin, was arrested today on a criminal complaint charging her with illegally reentering the United States after having been previously removed.
According to the complaint, on April 2, 2026, the FBI National Threat Operations Center received a report that a woman living and working in Ridgeland, Wisconsin, Sanchez-Cuaquehua, was a suspect in a July 2025 homicide in Mexico. FBI personnel in Mexico coordinated with Mexican authorities to confirm that Sanchez-Cuaquehua was a wanted fugitive. According to the complaint, authorities also confirmed that she had previously been removed from the United States and did not have permission to return.
Following her arrest today, Sanchez-Cuaquehua made her initial appearance on the illegal reentry charge in federal court in Madison. Following the hearing, she was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be returned to Mexico to face her murder charges.
The charge against Sanchez-Cuaquehua was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and their law enforcement attaché in Mexico City, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and their law enforcement attaché in Mexico City, Secreteria de Seguridad y Proteccion, Interpol, Fiscalia General Estado de Veracruz, and the Barron County Sheriff’s Office.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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 on May 13, 2026. 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.
Wood County Man Charged With Possessing Child Pornography
Dennis McCullough, 64, Wood County, Wisconsin is charged with possessing child pornography. The indictment alleges that on October 12, 2025, McCullough possessed a cell phone that contained images of child pornography.
If convicted, McCullough faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The charge against him is the result of an investigation conducted by the Wood County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger is handling the case.
This investigation was part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Minnesota Man Charged With Methamphetamine Trafficking
Daniel Baity, 48, Fridley, Minnesota, is charged with possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution. The indictment alleges that Baity possessed the methamphetamine on February 3, 2026.
If convicted, Baity faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
The charge against him is the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force, the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Stelljes is handling the case.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of federal law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Madison Man Charged with Drug Trafficking and Gun Possession
Derric Green, 51, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing controlled substances intended for distribution, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. The indictment alleges that on October 15, 2025, Green possessed 500 grams or more of cocaine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl intended for distribution. The indictment further alleges that on the same day, Green unlawfully possessed four firearms as a felon and possessed the firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
If convicted on the drug trafficking counts, Green faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. If convicted on the felon in possession count, Green faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking charge carries a minimum penalty of five years and a maximum penalty of life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence.
The charges against him are the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Remington is handling the case.
Mexican Citizen Charged with Illegally Reentering the United States
Fernando Ivan Llamas, 35, a citizen of Mexico found in Dane County, Wisconsin is charged with reentering the United States after having been previously removed. The indictment alleges that on November 9, 2025, Llamas, an alien, was found in the Western District of Wisconsin after having previously been removed from the United States and without having obtained the express consent of the United States Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.
If convicted, Llamas faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.
The charge against him is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon is handling the case.
Honduran Citizen Charged with Illegally Reentering the United States
Yefri Josue Varela-Ramirez, a citizen of Honduras found in Beloit, Wisconsin is charged with reentering the United States after having been previously removed. The indictment alleges that on October 1, 2025, Varela-Ramirez, an alien, was found in Wisconsin after having previously been removed from the United States and without having obtained the express consent of the United States Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.
If convicted, Varela-Ramirez faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison.
The charge against him is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson is handling the case.
Nicaraguan Citizen Charged with Illegally Reentering the United States
Luis Ruben Rivera-Nunez, 43, a citizen of Nicaragua found in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin is charged reentering the United States after having been previously removed. The indictment alleges that on December 23, 2023, Rivera-Nunez, an alien, was found in Wisconsin after having previously been removed from the United States and without having obtained the express consent of the United States Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.
If convicted, Rivera-Nunez faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison.
The charge against him is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Fitchburg Detective Honored with Hometown Hero AwardRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin proudly announces that Detective Jordan Trundle of the Fitchburg Police Department has been awarded the inaugural Hometown Hero Award sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice in honor of America’s 250th birthday.
In a ceremony today, U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma presented Detective Trundle the award in recognition of his outstanding work as a Task Force Officer with ATF Madison’s Crime Gun Task Force. The task force was formed to reduce gun violence by removing handguns from felons, drug traffickers, and other prohibited persons. The task force also aims to eliminate dangerous machine guns and machine gun conversion devices from Wisconsin communities.
Since joining the task force in July 2024, Detective Trundle has worked tirelessly to make the Fitchburg Police Department a model agency for processing crime guns. Detective Trundle has worked to streamline his department’s procedures for documenting and analyzing firearms used in the commission of federal and state crimes. Detective Trundle has also led in service training sessions to ensure his fellow officers are educated on the new procedures. Through his efforts, Detective Trundle has personally opened approximately two dozen federal firearms cases which have led to eighteen indictments.
In addition to his contributions to the Crime Gun Task Force, Detective Trundle was recognized in May 2024 by the Fitchburg Police Department for his outstanding service during a shots fired incident. He has participated in training for the department’s Citizens Academy, including conducting demonstrations on building clearing tactics and K9 apprehension.
“Today we honor one of our absolute best,” said U.S. Attorney Elgersma. “The Western District of Wisconsin is proud to recognize Detective Trundle for his exceptional work and service to his fellow Wisconsinites. He is an extraordinary example of what a law enforcement officer can be, and I am grateful for his continued service.”
The Hometown Hero Award was created in honor of the 250th birthday of the United States of America. The U.S. Department of Justice is proud to honor law enforcement across the country with recognition of the extraordinary service to their fellow citizens.
Janesville Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Adam Gurney, 30, Janesville, Wisconsin, was sentenced earlier this month by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 5 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography. The prison term will be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Judge Conley also ordered Gurney to pay a $5,000 assessment. Gurney pleaded guilty to this crime on February 17, 2026.
In June 2025, Gurney met via Discord a 17-year-old female who lived in North Carolina. After learning she was a minor, Gurney travelled to North Carolina twice to engage in sex with her. After his second trip, Gurney brought the minor back to Janesville with him. Gurney told others online that he was grooming the minor. During his contact with the minor, he received pornographic images of her via Discord.
At sentencing, Judge Conley highlighted that Gurney’s online searches showed he knew his conduct was illegal, yet he engaged in the unlawful behavior for his own sexual gratification at the expense of the victim. Judge Conley also rejected Gurney’s suggestion he was “saving” the victim from her home life, responding that Gurney didn’t “save” her from anything and instead took her from one controlling environment to another.
The charge against him is the result of an investigation conducted by the City of Janesville Police Department, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (North Carolina), and the Cherokee Police Department (North Carolina). The Rock County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger prosecuted the case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Beloit Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Gabriel Lebron Mejia, 27, Beloit, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 10 years in federal prison for possessing 100 grams or more of heroin intended for distribution and maintaining a drug trafficking premises. Lebron Mejia pleaded guilty to these charges on March 13, 2026.
Between January and August 2025, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of heroin and fentanyl from Lebron Mejia. During his subsequent arrest on August 28, 2025, officers searched Lebron Mejia’s vehicle and found a hidden compartment behind the vehicle’s glove box. Inside, officers recovered 115 grams of a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl and 60 grams of cocaine. Officers also searched Lebron Mejia’s apartment and recovered 100 grams of fentanyl pills, a hydraulic pill press, a gas mask, cutting agents, and other tools and drug packaging material. Police also found a 9mm handgun, ammunition, and over $21,000 in cash.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson determined that Lebron Mejia was a high-level drug trafficker. Judge Peterson also noted that the chemical makeup of the fentanyl that Lebron Mejia distributed raised a public safety concern about whether conventional overdose reversing treatments would be effective.
Rock County District Attorney Jason Sanders joined U.S. Attorney Elgersma in praising the federal, state, and local law enforcement officers who worked together to bring Lebron Mejia to justice. “I am grateful for the collaboration between Rock County and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this case,” said District Attorney Sanders. “I am proud that we were able to work together to secure a significant sentence against a large-scale drug trafficker.”
The charges against Lebron Mejia were the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, the Rock County Sheriff’s Office, and the City of Beloit Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force is comprised of federal agents with ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Madison Man Sentenced to over 8 Years for Drug Trafficking and Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jalen Hayes, 26, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on May 6, 2026, by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 97 months in federal prison for possessing controlled substances intended for distribution and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Hayes pleaded guilty to these charges on February 10, 2026.
In 2025, Hayes was under state supervision after being released from prison for an armed drug trafficking case. On July 5, 2025, he fled from a traffic stop. On July 25, 2025, officers arrested Hayes, who was carrying a backpack. Hayes set the backpack down and mouthed to his girlfriend, “get the bag.”
Officers searched the backpack and found a loaded 9mm handgun, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, marijuana, oxycodone, and Xanax pills. A search of Hayes’s phone showed he was advertising controlled substances for sale in social media posts and had purchased the 9mm handgun.
Hayes was prohibited from legally possessing firearms and ammunition because of prior felony convictions, including convictions for armed robbery, armed drug trafficking, and distributing drugs in jail.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson observed that Hayes having a loaded gun meant he was ready to use it. Judge Peterson said that drug dealing is inherently violent and that risk increased by Hayes carrying a gun. Noting an epidemic of gun violence in the community, Judge Peterson said the purpose of the sentence was to send a message to Hayes and the community.
The charges against Hayes were the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents from ATF as well as state and local agents throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Madison Man Sentenced to More Than 4 Years for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Marcus Brinkley, 23, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced last week by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 54 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Brinkley’s prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release. Brinkley pleaded guilty to this charge on February 27, 2026.
Brinkley was arrested following a controlled delivery of narcotics. In Brinkley’s motel room, law enforcement recovered a loaded handgun on the nightstand. Brinkley is prohibited from legally possessing firearms or ammunition due to prior felony convictions.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson commented on the nature of Brinkley’s prior convictions and his conduct in this case to highlight the danger Brinkley posed to the public. To arrive at the sentence, Judge Peterson balanced these aggravating factors with the defendant’s young age.
The charge against Brinkley was the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents from ATF and task force officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Glinzak prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Madison Man Sentenced to More Than 6 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Willie U. Mills, 31, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on May 6, 2026, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 77 months in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution. Mills’s prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Mills pleaded guilty to this charge on February 18, 2026.
On October 1, 2025, Madison police officers arrested Mills on an active probation warrant for numerous felony convictions. Officers searched Mills, his vehicle, and his possessions following the arrest. Law enforcement found approximately 9 grams of fentanyl in his pocket, 59 grams of methamphetamine inside a backpack, various pills, and multiple digital scales in his car. They also found just over $9,400 in cash inside his backpack.
At sentencing, Judge Conley considered Mills’s lengthy and varied criminal history, expressing concern that Mills had “escalated to worse and worse drugs.”
The charge against Mills was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department, the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Madison Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Donald Smith, 31, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on April 24, 2026, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to one year and one day in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Smith pleaded guilty to this charge on February 13, 2026.
On July 2, 2025, law enforcement searched Smith’s residence and found a loaded Ruger 9mm handgun. Officers also saw what appeared to be a bullet hole in a cell phone and a spent projectile under the counter. The Wisconsin State Crime lab determined that Smith’s DNA was present on the firearm. Smith is prohibited from legally possessing firearms because of a prior felony conviction for first degree reckless use of a dangerous weapon.
At sentencing, Judge Conley remarked on the serious nature of Smith’s prior felony conviction, and the potentially devastating consequences of him possessing firearms. Judge Conley noted that Smith has overcome a lot in his life and encouraged him to pursue counseling to deal with unresolved issues.
The charge against Smith was the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force comprised of federal agents from ATF as well as state and local agents throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Madison Man Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender, Food Stamp Fraud, and Use of a Counterfeit PassportRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Mark F. Brummitt, 69, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced last week by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 6 years in federal prison for failing to register as a sex offender, illegally obtaining food stamps, and using a false passport. Brummitt pleaded guilty to these charges on February 4, 2026.
“Such systemic deceit will not be tolerated with regard to individuals seeking to steal benefits meant for low-income families that help them afford nutritious essentials for their health and well-being,” said Inspector General John Walk for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General. “USDA OIG is proud to support Project Safe Childhood. I thank and commend the work of this office, our law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the efforts to ensure that this dangerous individual is held accountable and will go to prison for his crimes.”
Between 1989 and 2005, Brummitt was convicted of various sex offenses against children. He is required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. In late 2022, after having his supervised release revoked four times, Brummitt was released from federal prison. He spent time in Mexico and Mozambique. In February 2025, he returned to Wisconsin. He did not tell the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Sex Offender Registry about his change in residence and instead submitted paperwork stating he still lived in Africa.
While living in Wisconsin, Brummitt applied for and received $1,512 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. He misrepresented his identity and his income when applying for those benefits. In August 2025, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services told Brummitt he needed to come to the local agency and present photo identification to continue receiving benefits. Brummitt presented a counterfeit passport.
Judge Peterson said that Brummitt stood apart from other offenders because of his “systematic deceit” and his resolute resistance to any form of supervision. The judge found Brummitt represented a threat to public safety because of his sexual interest in children.
The charges against Brummitt were the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. State Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Stelljes prosecuted this case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Madison Felon Sentenced to 9 ½ Years for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Gairitt Schad, 28, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced last week by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 9 ½ years in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Schad pleaded guilty to these charges on January 15, 2026.
On April 17, 2025, a law enforcement agent arranged to purchase crack cocaine from Schad at a local restaurant. When officers approached, Schad attempted to flee. Officers ultimately arrested Schad and in his vehicle, found approximately 114 grams of methamphetamine, 12 grams of crack cocaine, 55 grams of cocaine, 24 grams of heroin, counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills, and 24 Xanax pills. In the vehicle’s center console was a a loaded .40 caliber handgun. Schad’s DNA was recovered on the slide of the handgun.
Schad was prohibited from legally possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions for first degree recklessly endangering safety, robbery, and eluding. He was on state probation at the time of his federal offenses.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson said that Schad was aware that his conduct could result in federal charges but committed the offenses anyway. Judge Peterson expressed concern that Schad would return to crime when released.
The charges against Schad were the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents from ATF as well as state and local agents throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Former Sun Prairie High School Dean of Students Sentenced to 18 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Robert Gilkey-Meisegeier, 31, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 18 years in federal prison for producing child pornography. The prison term will be followed by 25 years of supervised release. Gilkey-Meisegeier was also ordered to pay a $10,000 assessment. He pleaded guilty to this crime on February 6, 2026.
“Make no mistake, Gilkey-Meisegeier is a predator,” said U.S. Attorney Elgersma. “He used his position as the Dean of Students to target, groom, and exploit students in his care. I commend the courage of the victims and the diligence of investigators who worked tirelessly to hold Gilkey-Meisegeier responsible for his crimes. Today’s sentence sends a clear message – anyone who sexually exploits children will face serious consequences.”
Gilkey-Meisegeier originally joined the Sun Prairie School District in July 2022 as a youth advocate. Two years later, in August 2024, the school district promoted him to Dean of Students, a position that he held until the district terminated him on June 9, 2025.
In the spring of 2023, two individuals complained to school district personnel about Gilkey-Meisegeier’s concerning behavior towards certain students. In April 2025, a third individual submitted an anonymous tip to district personnel alleging that Gilkey-Meisegeier was having an inappropriate relationship with a student. He denied the allegation.
In May 2025, Sun Prairie law enforcement became aware that Gilkey-Meisegeier may have solicited child pornography from a student. An investigation ensued and law enforcement officers found sexually explicit videos of a female student on Gilkey-Meisegeier’s phone. Communications recovered from the phone further revealed that the minor produced the images at Gilkey-Meisegeier’s direction. Gilkey-Meisegeier also had a folder on his phone labeled “my eyes only” containing pornographic images of a 12-year-old female downloaded from the internet.
Further investigation revealed that Gilkey-Meisegeier’s superimposed the faces of female students onto hundreds of pornographic images, and surreptitiously took pictures at the high school that focused on clothed female students’ pubic areas, buttocks, and feet.
Law enforcement recovered communications that Gilkey-Meisegeier had with one student discussing the anonymous tip in April 2025. He told the student that he found out the identity of the tipster and said that he wanted to “ruin their life.”
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted Gilkey-Meisegeier had engaged in an ongoing pattern of predatory and manipulative behavior in which he groomed students to engage in inappropriate relationships, including sexual contact at school. Judge Conley also noted that Gilkey-Meisegeier’s clear lack of remorse, including his use of phone accounts of other inmates while in custody to contact minor victims, factored into his sentencing decision.
The charge against Gilkey-Meisegeier was the result of an investigation conducted by the Sun Prairie Police Department with assistance from the University of Wisconsin Police Department, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger prosecuted this case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Chippewa County Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Joshua Dale Cline, 29, Jim Falls, Wisconsin, was sentenced last week by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 6 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography. The prison term will be followed by 15 years of supervised release. Cline was also ordered to pay $38,500 in restitution to the victims. Cline pleaded guilty to this crime on February 9, 2026.
On three occasions between November 2024 and January 2025, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received tips that Kik accounts associated with Cline were being used to send and receive child pornography. Additionally, on January 27, 2025, Cline sent images of child pornography to an undercover agent via Kik. Upon arrest, Cline admitted he had been using Kik to trade images of child pornography for over a year.
Judge Peterson noted the sentence accounted for aggravating factors including the extended time Cline was involved with trading child pornography, and the very young age of the victims. Judge Peterson emphasized that trading in such materials encourages the sexual abuse of children by creating a market for such images.
The charge against Cline was the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations in Milwaukee and Detroit and the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger prosecuted this case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Eau Claire Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Scott Graham, 41, of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 10 years in prison for receiving and possessing child pornography. This term of imprisonment is to be followed by 25 years of supervised release. Graham pleaded guilty to this charge on January 14, 2026.
Graham and Natasha Rivas, 24, North Bergen, New Jersey, exchanged approximately 150 videos, 81 images, and 23 downloaded links containing child sexual abuse material of prepubescent or pubescent females. They repeatedly talked about sexually exploiting children. Rivas ultimately sent Graham sexually explicit images of children in her care.
Judge Peterson noted that while Rivas created the images, Graham encouraged her and directed her actions. So, while Graham did not participate in a hands-on offense, Judge Peterson found that Graham should still be held accountable for what happened to the children. Judge Peterson also noted that Graham had a long history and high-volume engagement with child pornography.
Natasha Rivas was sentenced on April 9, 2026, in the District of New Jersey to 110 months in federal prison.
The charges against Graham and Rivas were the result of an investigation conducted by the Eau Claire Police Department and the FBI, with assistance from the New Jersey United States Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Attorney Recognizes National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, Chadwick M. Elgersma, joining with the U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime, in recognizing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 19-25, 2026.
This year’s theme, “Listen. Act. Advocate. Protect victims, serve communities” recognizes the shared mission to listen to crime victims and advocate on their behalf.
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 Elgersma. “Prosecuting offenders is only one piece of an integrated approach to recognize and support victims of crime. My office will continue to strive to honor the strength and resilience of crime victims throughout all stages of federal criminal prosecutions.”
U.S. Attorney Elgersma 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.”
For more information on National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, please visit https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/national-crime-victims-rights-week/overview.
Former U.S. Citizen Sentenced to Prison for Unlawful Election ContributionsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Roger Hoffman, 70, a citizen of Saint Kitts and Nevis, was sentenced this week by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 20 months in federal prison for making unlawful political contributions as a foreign national. He was also ordered to pay a $150,000 fine. Hoffman pleaded guilty to this charge on September 26, 2025.
On January 15, 2009, Hoffman, formerly a Wisconsin resident, became a citizen of Saint Kitts and Nevis. On or about July 9, 2009, Hoffman executed a formal Oath of Renunciation of Nationality of the United States before a United States consular officer. After renouncing his citizenship, Hoffman continued to make political contributions using a straw donor to disguise the foreign nature of his contributions.
Hoffman gave money to Person A and directed Person A to contribute to specific candidates for federal and state office in specific amounts, using Person A’s own name. To execute this scheme, Hoffman directed Person A to open checking accounts with multiple banks, with the checks listing Person A’s Madison, Wisconsin, address and provided the funds for these accounts. Hoffman however, controlled the checkbooks, online login credentials, and debit cards for these accounts.
For more than a decade, Hoffman used the funds in the accounts to make donations to candidates for federal and state office in the United States by writing checks drawn on the accounts and by using the debit cards linked to the accounts to make contributions and donations online. Hoffman falsely represented to the recipients of the contributions that Person A was the contributor or donor, when in fact Hoffman was the true source of the funds. From 2011 to 2020, Hoffman directed Person A or made in Person A’s name more than 1,200 federal and state contributions totaling over $300,000.
After federal agents interviewed Hoffman, he tried to obstruct the investigation by telling Person A to falsely tell agents that the contributions were made of Person A’s own volition.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson stated that Hoffman demonstrated a resolute pattern of dishonesty. Judge Peterson further stated that Hoffman failed to clearly accept responsibility for his conduct despite overwhelming evidence of a scheme to purposely violate election law that was significant in scope.
The charge against Hoffman was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Reinhard, Western District of Wisconsin, and Dahoud Askar and Celia Choy, Trial Attorneys for the U.S. Department of Justice Public Integrity Section, Criminal Division, prosecuted this case.
Three-Time Drug Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 5 YearsRead the Press Release
Madison, Wis. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Rodney L. Roach, 44, Beloit, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 71 months in federal prison for distribution of cocaine. Roach pleaded guilty to this charge on January 21, 2026.
Roach distributed what he believed to be heroin to a police informant on four occasions. After the last drug sale, police seized a large amount of suspected heroin/fentanyl and cocaine from his home. Crime laboratory testing revealed that the suspected heroin/fentanyl was in fact Metonitazene. Metonitazene is an extremely dangerous synthetic opioid like fentanyl but with a slightly greater potency.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson stated that Roach distributed dangerous drugs that harmed his community. He further stated that Roach had two prior drug trafficking convictions and was an elevated risk to reoffend upon release. Judge Peterson ordered six years of supervision to follow Roach’s prison term to further protect the community.
The charge against Roach was the result of an investigation conducted by the Beloit Police Department, Rock County Sheriff’s Office, and Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Eau Claire Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jason Bloedow, 41, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was sentenced on April 8, 2026, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 10 years in federal prison for possessing methamphetamine intended for distribution. Bloedow pleaded guilty to this charge on January 8, 2026.
In March and early April 2025, Bloedow sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant. On April 24, 2025, officers stopped and arrested Bloedow on his way back to Wisconsin after he traveled to Minnesota to pick up methamphetamine. When officers searched Bloedow’s car, they found a box containing approximately 881 grams (or roughly two pounds) of methamphetamine. Bloedow later admitted to selling approximately 28 pounds of methamphetamine and making $48,000 in profit in just a three-month period.
At sentencing, Judge Conley emphasized Bloedow’s long criminal history, noting Bloedow’s criminal conduct had continued to escalate despite his age. In arriving at a 10-year sentence, Judge Conley focused on Bloedow’s increase in the amount of methamphetamine he trafficked.
The charge against Bloedow was the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force, the Dunn County and Chippewa County Sheriff’s Offices, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Dunn County and Eau Claire County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Remington prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Dwayne Davis, 31, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 12 years in federal prison for sex trafficking a minor. Davis pleaded guilty to this charge on January 12, 2026. His prison term will be followed by 20 years of supervised release.
The investigation of Davis began on June 4, 2024, when a 16-year-old girl called 911. During the frantic call, the girl said she needed help because Davis had threatened to kill her. Further investigation revealed that Davis was trafficking the girl for sex. The girl met Davis over the internet in the spring of 2024 and disclosed to him her history of prior trafficking and abuse. In response, Davis began transporting her from her home in Viroqua, Wisconsin, to La Crosse for prostitution dates. Davis posted ads for her online and kept almost all the money she earned from the prostitution dates.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson observed that Davis’s actions were monstrous in that he recognized and preyed on the minor’s vulnerability. Judge Peterson further noted that Davis’s history of domestic violence, combined with the victim’s call to 911, demonstrated his capacity for violence.
The charge against Davis was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department, the Vernon County Sheriff’s Department, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger prosecuted this case.