Madison Man Sentenced to More Than 4 Years for Illegally Possessing Firearms

MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Joshua Gentle, 31, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 4 years and nine months in federal prison for possessing firearms as a felon. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Gentle pleaded guilty to this charge on April 9, 2024.

In October and November of 2023, Gentle sold three handguns to a person he knew could not legally possess them. During one of the transactions, Gentle commented that he had avoided a prior federal case for selling guns. He threatened to shoot one of the people involved in the transaction, as he believed that person was an undercover police officer.

Gentle is prohibited from legally possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions, including convictions for armed robbery and felon in possession of a firearm. 

At sentencing, Judge Peterson determined that a sentence near the top of advisory sentencing guideline range was appropriate because of the serious nature of the crime and the fact that this was one of the most aggravated gun possession cases that the court has seen. Judge Peterson found that Gentle was callous firearms dealer who had served as a pipeline for diverting guns to criminals who could not legally possess them. Judge Peterson also noted that Gentle was fully aware that his conduct was both illegal and dangerous.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting individuals who illegally sell firearms on the street,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea. “I am grateful for the strong partnership we have with ATF and with our local law enforcement partners to reduce gun violence by holding accountable those who use guns in crime and those who provide guns to criminals.”

“Given the defendant’s lengthy history of violence, it was a priority to investigate his recent firearms activity,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle, of the St. Paul Field Division. “I’m grateful for the work our agents and partners put into this case. I hope with this sentence today the community will be a little bit safer, and Mr. Gentle can have some time to consider modifying his behavior upon his release from prison.”

The charge against Gentle was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.

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 and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.