Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Cashius Carter, 21, from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, has been sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison. Carter pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Following his prison term, he will be under supervised release for three years.
The incident leading to Carter’s arrest occurred on September 25, 2024. A Fitchburg police officer stopped the vehicle Carter was driving due to the smell of marijuana. Upon being asked to exit the vehicle for a search, Carter fled but was later apprehended. The officer discovered a loaded Glock 19 9mm with an extended magazine in the car and nearly 700 grams of marijuana in the back seat. The Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory confirmed Carter’s DNA on the firearm. Due to a prior felony conviction for eluding an officer, Carter is prohibited from legally possessing firearms or ammunition.
Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson noted at sentencing that Carter’s possession of a loaded firearm alongside a large quantity of marijuana posed significant danger. Judge Peterson highlighted Carter’s aggravated criminal history involving violent battery and high-speed police chases as factors in his decision to impose this sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the Fitchburg Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force with Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a U.S. Justice Department initiative aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration between state and federal prosecutors and law enforcement agencies.
