Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

MADISON, WIS. -- John W. Vaudreuil, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jason L. Nichols, 32, Rewey, Wis., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 27 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. Nichols pleaded guilty to this offense on January 4, 2016.

On January 7, 2015, deputies from the Iowa County Sheriff’s Department were called to the defendant’s home in Rewey regarding a fight at the residence. During a search of the home, deputies found a fully loaded .380 Taurus handgun, a handgun magazine with six .40 caliber bullets, and other ammunition.

On January 23, 2015, members of the U.S. Probation Office went to Nichols’ residence to serve him a summons in regards to the January 7 incident. Nichols turned over to them a gallon zip lock baggie full of various types of ammunition. At the time, the defendant was on federal probation for the felony offense of issuing fraudulent money orders.

Nichols was charged with unlawfully possessing the firearm on January 7, and with unlawfully possessing ammunition on January 23. Each of these offenses carries the same penalty under federal law. Nichols agreed to plead guilty to the unlawfully possessing ammunition charge, and the unlawfully possessing a firearm charge was dismissed as part of his plea agreement.

The charge against Nichols was the result of an investigation conducted by the Iowa County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of this case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Reinhard.

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