Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

MADISON, WIS. - Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Phillip Thomas, Madison, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 100 months in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and an additional 30 months for revocation of his federal supervised release. This prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release.

In March and April 2020, several sources reported to law enforcement that Thomas was selling various controlled substances in the Madison area.  Agents with the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation arranged a series of controlled buys with a confidential informant. The confidential informant successfully purchased crack cocaine and methamphetamine from Thomas in March 2020, and additional crack cocaine and approximately 52 grams of methamphetamine from him on April 1, 2020.  During a search of Thomas’s bedroom inside a Sun Prairie apartment on April 3, 2020, agents located three firearms and additional controlled substances. That same day, Thomas was arrested and had both cocaine and heroin in his pockets.

At the time of the offense in this case, Thomas was serving a term of supervised release in connection to a 2012 federal conviction in the Western District of Wisconsin for distribution of 100 grams or more of heroin. Judge Conley revoked that supervision and sentenced Thomas to the additional 30 months in prison.

In sentencing Thomas, Judge Conley noted that the quantities of controlled substances recovered by law enforcement in the present case were likely far below what Thomas had been selling, based on his statements to law enforcement following his arrest. Judge Conley stated a significant sentence was warranted given that the defendant had resumed selling drugs following his 2018 release from prison, including selling drugs while residing at a drug treatment facility. Judge Conley commented that it appeared as though Thomas “reveled” in his continued criminal lifestyle and the power it brought him.

The charges against Thomas were the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Madison Police Department, Sun Prairie Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus. 

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