The Sconi

Kory Washington, a 21-year-old resident of Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The sentence was handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson following Washington's guilty plea on June 5, 2025.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin, law enforcement attempted to arrest Washington on November 19, 2024, due to an outstanding warrant. During the pursuit, officers observed Washington discard a loaded .9mm Smith & Wesson M&P Shield handgun, which had been reported stolen in Illinois. He was apprehended shortly after and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of previous felony convictions.

At sentencing, Judge Peterson remarked on Washington’s criminal history: “despite his young age, Washington had already committed an unrelenting stream of crimes, and his criminal conduct was escalating as evidenced by his decision to arm himself in this case.” The judge also referenced concerns about gang involvement: “Washington was the seventh member of the same gang sentenced to federal prison.”

The investigation leading to these charges involved the Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force—a collaboration between ATF agents and state and local law enforcement across the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted the case.

Federal firearm prosecutions such as this are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative led by the Department of Justice that focuses resources on combating illegal immigration, eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and addressing violent crime through coordinated efforts like Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).