Jontrae Larsen, 24, of Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon. The sentence was handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson after Larsen pleaded guilty on September 11, 2025.
The case stems from an incident on January 6, 2024, when witnesses saw Larsen flee from a vehicle involved in a crash. Law enforcement later found him with a Glock 17 Gen 5 handgun that had an extended magazine loaded with 27 rounds and equipped with a machinegun conversion device. Authorities recovered Larsen’s DNA on several parts of the firearm and discovered additional evidence of gun possession on his phone.
A machinegun conversion device is an illegal aftermarket tool that transforms a semi-automatic handgun into a fully automatic weapon. According to authorities, such modified firearms are especially dangerous because they are hard to control and can fire up to 50 rounds in four seconds with one pull of the trigger.
Larsen had previously been convicted at the state level for first degree recklessly endangering safety. As a convicted felon, he was barred from possessing firearms or ammunition.
During sentencing, Judge Peterson said he was disappointed that Larsen resumed criminal activity shortly after being released from state prison. He attributed this return to crime to negative social influences and lack of maturity. Judge Peterson described Larsen’s possession of a machinegun as particularly troubling due to his history of impulsive decisions and substance abuse issues. The judge said the significant sentence was warranted because of the automatic firing capability of the weapon.
The investigation was carried out by the Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which includes federal agents from ATF along with state and local officers throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted the case.
Federal cases involving firearms like this one fall under Operation Take Back America, an initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration, eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime by coordinating resources through programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
