La Crosse, WI – Marcelle Davis, 22, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, is headed to federal prison for five years after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms. U.S. District Judge William M. Conley delivered the sentence today, followed by three years of supervised release. The case stems from a harrowing domestic dispute that unfolded last March, revealing a pattern of violent behavior.
On March 8, 2022, La Crosse police responded to a frantic 911 call. The victim, escaping a brutal assault, dropped a Ruger-57 handgun as she fled an apartment. She told officers Davis, her attacker, intended to kill her, displaying numerous injuries. A search of the apartment uncovered a .22 caliber handgun and a .357 revolver, all allegedly belonging to Davis. The victim detailed a terrifying ordeal: being struck with a handgun, having the weapon pressed to her face, and being strangled to the point of unconsciousness.
Davis didn’t stop there. As officers pursued him, he tossed a 9mm handgun out of his car window in a desperate attempt to ditch the evidence. Forensic analysis confirmed Davis’s DNA was present on all recovered firearms, solidifying the case against him. Crucially, the incident occurred a mere two weeks after Davis was convicted of false imprisonment – a felony – and placed on probation, making the possession of firearms illegal.
During sentencing, Judge Conley didn’t mince words, condemning Davis’s actions as “frightening.” He specifically highlighted the brutal nature of the assault, including the use of a firearm against the victim’s face and the explicit threat of death. Conley also pointed to Davis’s history of violence against women and took issue with Davis characterizing the assault as a “mistake,” arguing it indicated a lack of remorse and a disregard for the victim’s suffering.
The investigation was a joint effort between the La Crosse Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan led the prosecution. The case falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice initiative aimed at reducing violent crime through coordinated efforts between federal and state law enforcement.
PSN specifically targets gun crime, with a focus on individuals illegally possessing firearms – like Davis – and violent offenses involving weapons. The program aims to dismantle criminal networks and create safer communities by focusing on repeat offenders and leveraging resources across multiple agencies. This sentencing serves as a stark reminder that illegally possessing firearms, especially with a history of violence, carries severe consequences.
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