MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Carlos Carter, 33, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 72 months in federal prison for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of firearms. Carter pleaded guilty to this charge on April 28, 2022.
In 2020, federal and state law enforcement agencies started investigating several known cocaine traffickers in Dane County, Wisconsin. As part of this joint investigation, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) obtained state-authorized wiretaps on two phones belonging to Andre McClinton. Over the course of several months, investigators intercepted numerous calls and text messages between McClinton and Carter. Most of these conversations centered on McClinton selling large amounts of drugs to Carter, a felon with prior drug convictions.
On March 8, 2021, law enforcement officers from the Wisconsin State Patrol (WSP) and DCI stopped Carter for speeding and detained him as part of the narcotics investigation. Investigators also searched a house in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin where Carter stayed. During the search, investigators found 260 grams of a powder cocaine, 76 grams of crack cocaine, drug packaging material, two digital scales, six cellphones, a drug ledger, two loaded 9 mm handguns, and a loaded .44 caliber revolver which was reported stolen.
In sentencing Carter, Judge Peterson wanted to protect the community from someone who had a capacity for violence. Judge Peterson explained that the amount of drugs Carter distributed and the number of firearms he illegally possessed warranted a significant term of imprisonment.
On March 23, 2022, Judge Peterson sentenced Andre McClinton to 108 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and illegally possessing firearms. In addition, Judge Peterson entered a money judgment against McClinton in the amount of $313,100. McClinton also agreed to forfeit $116,890 in cash, property located in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, three vehicles, and two firearms. Other defendants convicted as part of this investigation include:
- Michael Henderson, who received a sentence of 84 months’ imprisonment on December 9, 2021 for conspiracy to distribute cocaine;
- Jeffrey Kemp, who received a sentence of 48 months’ imprisonment on May 6, 2022 for attempting to possess fentanyl for distribution; and
- Antonio Dillard, who received a sentence of 24 months’ imprisonment on April 1, 2022 for attempting to possess fentanyl for distribution.
The charges against Carter were the result of an investigation conducted by DCI, WSP, the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma prosecuted this case.