The Sconi

Dustin Cullins, a 37-year-old resident of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The sentence was handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson and will be followed by three years of supervised release. Cullins pleaded guilty to the charge on July 9, 2025.

Law enforcement discovered a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber handgun and ammunition inside a clothes dryer during a probation search at Cullins’s home. Cullins admitted he had purchased the firearm and ammunition, stating he kept them for potential use against his girlfriend’s ex-husband. Due to previous felony convictions, Cullins is barred from legally owning firearms or ammunition and was on state probation when the offense occurred.

At sentencing, Judge Peterson noted Cullins’s extensive criminal record and history of drug use. He stated that “Cullins is exactly the kind of person who should not have a firearm,” and encouraged him to participate in substance abuse treatment while incarcerated.

The case was investigated by the Eau Claire Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which includes agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) as well as officers from various state and local agencies in the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon prosecuted the case.

This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America, an initiative led by the Department of Justice that coordinates resources to address illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and combat violent crime in communities. The operation brings together efforts from programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).