The Sconi

Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Cashius Carter, a 21-year-old from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 2 ½ years in federal prison. Carter pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Following his prison term, he will undergo three years of supervised release.

The incident leading to Carter's arrest occurred on September 25, 2024. A Fitchburg police officer stopped the vehicle Carter was driving due to the smell of marijuana. When asked to exit the vehicle for a search, Carter fled but was eventually apprehended. The search revealed a loaded Glock 19 9mm with an extended magazine between the driver’s seat and center console and nearly 700 grams of marijuana in the back seat. The Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory confirmed that Carter's DNA was found on the firearm. His prior felony conviction for eluding an officer prohibits him from legally possessing firearms or ammunition.

At sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson described Carter's actions as dangerous due to his possession of both a loaded firearm and a large quantity of marijuana. Judge Peterson also highlighted Carter’s aggravated criminal history involving violent battery and high-speed chases as factors influencing his decision to impose this sentence.

The investigation into Carter's case was conducted by the Fitchburg Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which includes federal agents from ATF along with state and local agency officers throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative by the U.S. Justice Department aimed at reducing violent crime through coordinated efforts among state and federal prosecutors and law enforcement agencies focusing on gun-related crimes.