Kory Washington, a 21-year-old resident of Madison, Wisconsin, has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The sentence was handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson after Washington pleaded guilty on June 5, 2025.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin, law enforcement officers attempted to arrest Washington on November 19, 2024, due to an outstanding warrant. During the pursuit, officers observed Washington discard a handgun. He was subsequently apprehended and police recovered a loaded .9mm Smith & Wesson M&P Shield that had previously been reported stolen in Illinois. Because of prior felony convictions, Washington is legally barred from possessing firearms or ammunition.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson addressed the seriousness of Washington’s criminal history and expressed concern about his escalating conduct and gang affiliations. "Despite his young age, Washington had already committed an unrelenting stream of crimes, and his criminal conduct was escalating as evidenced by his decision to arm himself in this case," said Judge Peterson. He further noted that "Washington was the seventh member of the same gang sentenced to federal prison."
The investigation into Washington’s activities was carried out by the Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. This task force includes agents from ATF as well as task force officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted the case.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America, which is a nationwide initiative led by the Department of Justice aiming to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and address violent crime through coordinated efforts such as those by Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
