MADISON, WIS. - Jeffrey M. Anderson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Blair Cook, 23, Madison, Wis., was found guilty today of possessing a firearm as an unlawful user of marijuana. The jury reached its verdict after approximately five hours of deliberation, following one day of testimony in U.S. District Court in Madison.
The jury was unable to reach a verdict on a second charge, which alleged that Cook had made a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer.
The evidence presented at trial showed that Cook possessed a.40 caliber Glock pistol and ammunition on May 25, 2017, while he was an unlawful user of marijuana. Under federal law, unlawful users of controlled substances are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
U.S. District Judge James Peterson scheduled sentencing for Feb. 1, 2018. Cook faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rita Rumbelow and Chadwick Elgersma.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
