Donald R. Spivey, Jr., a 23-year-old resident of Madison, Wisconsin, has been sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley following Spivey's guilty plea on December 18, 2024.
The charges stem from an incident on July 15, 2024, when Spivey assaulted his partner after being expelled from their home. During the altercation, he strangled her and prevented her from contacting the police by taking her phone. He also threatened her with a handgun and stole a Glock 19 9mm pistol.
Two days later, on July 17, law enforcement discovered Spivey asleep in a stolen Jeep. When officers attempted to arrest him, he fled at high speed, leading police on a chase that reached up to 115 miles per hour before crashing the vehicle. The Jeep overturned onto two parked cars in a driveway. Spivey then attempted to escape on foot but was apprehended with assistance from a K9 unit. Police recovered the stolen Glock along his flight path and found another handgun equipped with an illegal machinegun conversion device (MCD) inside the Jeep.
As a convicted felon, Spivey is prohibited from possessing firearms. The possession of an MCD is illegal as it converts handguns into fully automatic weapons.
Judge Conley highlighted Spivey's extensive criminal history during sentencing, noting previous offenses involving violence against the mothers of his children and past imprisonment for similar crimes. The judge emphasized that despite being under state supervision at the time of this offense, Spivey continued to engage in violent behavior.
The investigation leading to these charges was conducted by the Madison Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative by the U.S. Justice Department aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration between state and federal prosecutors and various levels of law enforcement agencies.