James K Nicksion, Gun and Crack Cocaine Possession, WI 2020

James K. Nicksion, a 24-year-old Milwaukee man, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison on Friday, August 7, 2020, for running from police while armed with a loaded 9mm pistol and five grams of crack cocaine. The arrest unfolded during a traffic stop that turned into a foot chase when Nicksion bolted from his vehicle, sealing his fate with a federal firearms conviction.

Court records reveal officers discovered the semi-automatic handgun inside the car, equipped with an extended magazine and loaded with 30 rounds. Also stashed in the vehicle: a digital scale and the crack cocaine, clear indicators of drug distribution. Nicksion wasn’t just a user—he was operating as a street-level dealer, despite already having a criminal record that includes dealing marijuana and bail jumping.

The Honorable Judge Lynn Adelman handed down the five-year sentence, followed by three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors emphasized the danger posed by armed drug traffickers, particularly in high-crime urban areas where a single loaded gun can ignite a cascade of violence.

This case was prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods, the DOJ’s long-running initiative targeting violent offenders in American communities. The program funnels federal muscle into local investigations, ensuring that gun crimes don’t slip through jurisdictional cracks. In Nicksion’s case, the collaboration proved lethal to his defense.

It was also folded into Project Guardian, the Justice Department’s aggressive push to stop gun violence by prioritizing prosecutions of prohibited individuals caught with firearms. Launched in fall 2019, the initiative strengthens interagency coordination and targets those who repeatedly defy court orders and gun laws—exactly Nicksion’s profile.

The Milwaukee Police Department and FBI led the investigation, with support from the DEA and Shawano County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Farris Martini prosecuted. For public inquiries, contact Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales at (414) 297-1700. The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice—150 years of chasing down felons like Nicksion.

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