James Stevens, a 42-year-old resident of Madison, Wisconsin, has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for illegal firearm possession. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley after Stevens pleaded guilty to the charge on December 11, 2024.
The case stemmed from an investigation where agents from the Wisconsin Department of Justice used a confidential informant to purchase cocaine and heroin from Stevens. During a search of his home, authorities discovered 224 grams of cocaine and a loaded Smith & Wesson M&P .40 caliber handgun concealed in his couch. Due to a prior felony conviction, Stevens is legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
Judge Conley considered Stevens's expressed intent to reform his life but weighed it against the risk he posed to public safety when determining the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Madison Police Department, with assistance from the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. This task force includes federal agents and officers from various state and local agencies across the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Glinzak prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, a national initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and safeguarding communities from violent crime.