Diana Xiong, Felon in Possession of Firearm and Methamphetamine Distribution, Wisconsin 2020

Diana Xiong, 31, of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is staring down federal time after a grand jury indicted her on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of distributing methamphetamine. The accusations, unsealed today in Madison, allege Xiong held a .25 caliber pistol on May 20, 2020 — a weapon she’s legally barred from owning due to prior felony convictions — and pushed meth just days later on May 28 and June 1 of that year.

Federal prosecutors say the case against Xiong isn’t a simple possession bust. Each count of meth distribution carries a maximum 20-year sentence, while the gun charge adds another decade. The charges stem from a sprawling, multi-agency investigation involving the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, Menomonie Police, West Central Drug Task Force, DEA, ATF, Wisconsin DOJ’s Division of Criminal Investigation, Central Wisconsin Drug Task Force, Brown County Drug Task Force, and even the St. Paul (Minnesota) Task Force — a rare coalition signaling the breadth of the probe.

Xiong’s name now joins a growing list of individuals targeted in the Western District of Wisconsin’s crackdown on drug-fueled gun crimes. Authorities have increasingly focused on repeat offenders who traffic in meth while armed — a combination that’s fueled a spike in violent crime across rural and urban parts of the state. The indictment offers no details on the buyers or the locations of the alleged sales, but law enforcement sources indicate surveillance and informant testimony played a central role.

Taylor L. Kraus, Assistant U.S. Attorney, is prosecuting the case with a no-nonsense approach typical of federal drug prosecutions. There’s no plea deal on the table yet, and court records show Xiong is awaiting arraignment. If convicted, she could face up to 50 years behind bars — a sentence that reflects the federal system’s harsh stance on armed drug offenders with criminal histories.

The indictment makes no claim that Xiong used the firearm during drug transactions, but under federal law, mere possession as a felon is enough to trigger the 10-year maximum. Still, prosecutors may argue the gun was tied to her drug activity — a narrative that could influence sentencing even if not required for conviction.

A status conference is scheduled for next month in Madison. Xiong remains free on bond pending trial, but with a mountain of charges and a stacked investigative trail, her path to freedom just got a lot narrower.

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