Travis Hicks, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Wisconsin 2019

Madison Man Sentenced to 2 Years for Gun Crime

MADISON, WIS. - Travis Hicks, a 24-year-old Madison resident, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Hicks pleaded guilty to this charge on October 9, 2019. In 2013, he was convicted of the felony crime of assault with a dangerous weapon.

On October 4, 2018, Hicks was in Jackson, Michigan, with a friend and was shot at during a drive-by shooting. The friend returned fire and both fled the scene. Police arrested Hicks that day and found ammunition in his vehicle.

Hicks was charged in state court in Michigan with being a felon in possession of ammunition and was released after posting bond on December 10, 2018. Hicks failed to appear at a hearing in the case on January 15, 2019, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

On March 5, 2019, Hicks was arrested on the fugitive warrant in a Madison hotel room. In that room, law enforcement found a plastic box for a Glock 19 9mm pistol. A search warrant was executed on Hicks' cell phone, and officers found videos of him holding a Maadi 7.62 caliber AK-47 type rifle and a Glock pistol.

The investigation revealed that on January 22, 2019, while in Madison, Hicks possessed the Maadi rifle which he traded for a Glock 19 9mm pistol. At sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson said that when dealing with gun crimes, protection of the public is always the first concern.

Judge Peterson noted that Hicks associates with people who use firearms and expressed concern that an innocent bystander could be shot in an exchange of gunfire. Because of that, Judge Peterson found that Hicks posed a risk to the public.

The charge against Hicks was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.

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 crimes and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.

Mandatory Facts:

1. Defendant Name: Travis Hicks

2. Exact Criminal Charges: Felon in Possession of a Firearm

3. City and State: MADISON, WIS.

4. Exact Date: October 9, 2019 (sentencing), October 4, 2018 (arrest), January 22, 2019 (crime date)

5. Sentence: Two years in federal prison

6. Dollar Amounts: $0 (no monetary amounts mentioned in the source)

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwi/pr/madison-man-sentenced-2-years-gun-crime-1