Briante Banks, a 31-year-old man from La Crosse, Wisconsin, has been sentenced to 2 ½ years in federal prison for possessing a stolen firearm as a felon. The harsh sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley on no date was provided in Madison, Wisconsin.
According to the Department of Justice, authorities arrested Banks on May 2, 2023, for violating the conditions of his state probation. During a post-arrest search, a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun was found in Banks’ possession. Further investigation revealed that the handgun had been previously stolen from a La Crosse area gun shop.
Banks is prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions for drug trafficking. The stolen handgun was a stark reminder of his continued disregard for the law, despite being under state supervision since 2014.
At sentencing, Judge Conley expressed his disappointment with Banks’ lack of progress, stating that he had “so far failed to learn any lessons from his past.” The judge warned Banks that unless he made good use of his time in prison and engaged with his supervising probation officer after release, he would likely end up back in prison.
The charge against Banks was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department, La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted the case.
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.
Related Federal Cases
- Fitchburg Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearm and Ammunition · Wisconsin
- Felon Caught with Firearm, Gun Smarts Go Up in Flames · Wisconsin
- Michael A. Raskie Sentenced for Felon in Possession of Firepower · Wisconsin
- Eugene Ripp Sentenced for Illegal Firearm Sales · Wisconsin
- Madison Felon Gets 5 Years for Illegal Gun Possession · Wisconsin
Key Facts
- State: Wisconsin
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
WeaponsWeaponsWeaponsWeapons