Evergreen Reporter

Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Damariyah Muhammad, a 23-year-old resident of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, has been sentenced to 45 months in federal prison. The sentencing was carried out by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley on October 4, 2024. Muhammad's sentence is for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. After serving his prison term, he will be under supervised release for three years. Muhammad had pleaded guilty to the charge on July 10, 2024.

The case dates back to January 8, 2024, when law enforcement officers attempted to arrest Muhammad on charges related to domestic disorderly conduct and hit-and-run incidents. During this encounter with detectives, Muhammad attempted to flee but slipped in the snow and dropped a firearm. The weapon was identified as a loaded Glock 9mm handgun with an extended magazine capable of holding 31 rounds. DNA evidence confirmed Muhammad's connection to the gun.

Judge Conley noted at sentencing that Muhammad's criminal behavior has escalated over time and involved high-capacity firearms and violent acts. Despite having opportunities for reflection and resources available to him, Judge Conley remarked that Muhammad did not take advantage of them. He urged Muhammad to use his time in custody wisely and view it as an opportunity to change his life trajectory.

The investigation leading to Muhammad's charge was conducted by the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which includes federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from various local agencies such as the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and police departments in Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative by the U.S. Justice Department aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration between state and federal prosecutors and law enforcement agencies at all levels.