Kory Washington, a 21-year-old resident of Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The sentencing took place before Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson after Washington pleaded guilty on June 5, 2025.
Law enforcement officers attempted to arrest Washington on November 19, 2024, due to an outstanding warrant. During the attempt, Washington fled and discarded a loaded .9mm Smith & Wesson M&P Shield handgun, which officers later recovered. The firearm had been reported stolen in Illinois. Due to previous felony convictions, Washington was legally barred from owning firearms or ammunition.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson commented on Washington’s history of criminal activity and noted concerns 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 added that “Washington was the seventh member of the same gang sentenced to federal prison.”
The investigation leading to these charges involved collaboration between the Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. This task force includes agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) along with officers from various state and local agencies within the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted the case.
Federal cases like this are part of Operation Take Back America—a national initiative using resources from the Department of Justice to address illegal immigration issues, target cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and reduce violent crime in communities by coordinating efforts through programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
