Timothy M. O'Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, has announced that Taiwan Edwards from Janesville, Wisconsin, has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison. Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson handed down the sentence after Edwards pleaded guilty on October 28, 2024, to possessing 500 grams or more of cocaine intended for distribution.
In October 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a storage unit linked to Edwards. The search resulted in the recovery of over a kilogram of cocaine and $72,573 in cash. Additionally, six firearms were discovered at the site, including two "ghost guns," which are privately made firearms without serial numbers.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson referred to the storage unit as a "mini armory" and commented on Edwards' involvement in a "very substantial" level of drug trafficking.
The investigation leading to Edwards' charge was carried out by the Janesville Police Department and the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan R. Stelljes.