Madison Man Sentenced to 90 Months for Drug and Gun Crimes

MADISON, WI—John W. Vaudreuil, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ryan K. Cook, 20, Madison, Wis., was sentenced today by U.S. Chief District Judge William M. Conley to 90 months in prison for distribution of crack cocaine and possession of a firearm by a felon. Cook pleaded guilty to these charges on December 6, 2011.

In April 2011, an undercover officer purchased crack cocaine from Cook on three separate occasions. Further, on August 1, 2011, police stopped Cook in a vehicle and found an ounce of crack cocaine in the vehicle. Shortly thereafter, during the execution of a search warrant Cook’s home, officers found a loaded firearm with an obliterated serial number. Cook admitted that the firearm was his and that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his two prior Dane County felony burglary convictions. Cook was on felony probation for the above-mentioned burglaries at the time of this offense.

Judge Conley found that Cook’s relevant drug conduct involved at least 112 grams of crack cocaine, but less than 196 grams of crack cocaine. United States Attorney John W. Vaudreuil praised the hard work of all the law enforcement agencies involved in the case.

The charges against Cook were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Dane County Narcotics and Gang Task Force, Madison Police Department, Dane County Sheriff’s Department, Rock County Safe Streets Task Force, Wisconsin State Patrol, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Reinhard.