Donald R. Spivey, Jr., a 23-year-old resident of Madison, Wisconsin, was 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 asked to leave their home. During the altercation, he strangled her and prevented her from contacting the police by taking her phone. He also pointed a handgun at her and stole a Glock 19 9mm firearm.
Two days later, on July 17, police discovered Spivey asleep in a stolen Jeep and attempted to arrest him. He fled the scene in the vehicle, leading officers on a high-speed chase that reached up to 115 miles per hour before crashing the Jeep into two parked vehicles in a driveway. After fleeing the wreckage on foot, he was apprehended with assistance from a K9 unit. The victim's stolen Glock was found along his escape route near the crash site.
Spivey is legally prohibited from possessing firearms due to his status as a convicted felon. Additionally, possession of an illegal machinegun conversion device (MCD), which converts handguns to fully automatic fire, was discovered during the investigation.
Judge Conley noted that Spivey's criminal history began at an early age and included previous assaults against both mothers of his children. Despite having served time in prison and being under state supervision at the time of this offense, he engaged in further domestic violence activities.
The case against Spivey resulted from investigations conducted by the Madison Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration between state and federal prosecutors alongside law enforcement agencies.
