MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Anthony James Wilson, 29, Baraboo, Wisconsin pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 37 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On June 3, 2021, Sauk County Sheriff’s deputies were responding to a report of an armed assault and they attempted to stop the suspect vehicle. Wilson was the driver and fled from officers at a high rate of speed. Deputies later took him into custody near a school, which was placed in lockdown as a result of the incident. Wilson was asked about whether he had a gun, and he ultimately said that he did and agreed to show them where he hid it so that school children would not find it. Deputies recovered a Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum revolver loaded with six rounds of ammunition.
Wilson had prior felony convictions including for theft of a firearm. At sentencing, Judge Peterson said that there were significant concerns about the defendant that indicated a need to protect the public.
The charge against Wilson was the result of an investigation conducted by the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.