Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Madison Resident Sentenced to 21 Months in Federal Prison for Gun Charge
MADISON, WIS. - Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Malcolm M. Whiteside, 27, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 21 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Whiteside pleaded guilty to this charge on September 9, 2019.
On July 9, 2019, while investigating a domestic violence complaint, police officers arrested Whiteside outside of an apartment complex on the west side of Madison. During the arrest, Whiteside admitted he had a gun hidden inside the front of his pants. Officers found a stolen handgun inside of Whiteside’s sweatshirt pocket. Whiteside, a convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing firearms.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson expressed concern that Whiteside’s criminal history shows he has the potential of being a danger to the community. Judge Peterson specifically noted that other courts had given Whiteside “breaks,” but his criminal activity was “starting to escalate.”
The charge against Whiteside was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma.
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 crimes and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
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