A federal ammunition probe in Wisconsin just tightened the screws on a local dealer, as Jacob Dowd, a co‑owner of United Forces Enterprises, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to conspiring to illegally import armor‑piercing ammunition. Prosecutors say the scheme leaned on a bogus purchase order printed on Town of Linn Police Department letterhead and an ATF import application that falsely claimed the rounds were for law‑enforcement use. ATF officials intercepted the shipment before it reached U.S. soil, and the former Linn police chief named in court filings has not been charged.
According to WISN, the plea agreement filed in the Eastern District of Wisconsin shows Jacob Dowd admitted his role in trying to bring in 7.62x54mm armor‑piercing incendiary rounds. The paperwork lays out how a supposed Town of Linn purchase order listed 1,500,000 rounds, while the ATF Form 6 import application scaled that figure down to 489,000 rounds.
Federal filings state the Town of Linn Police Department had no legitimate need for that kind of firepower and describe the purchase order as a "misrepresentation," WisLaw Journal reports. Prosecutors allege the operation included offering cash to then‑Chief James Bushey in exchange for his signature on the fraudulent documents.
At a June 14, 2021 town meeting, Bushey told the board the arrangement would let them "take advantage" of an exchange program and that it would "cost[] nothing to the town," according to reporting by WPR. That same reporting notes prosecutors say Jacob and his brother, Darin Dowd, planned to flip the illegally imported rounds to other buyers.
Legal outlook
Court records show the conspiracy charge carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison, WisLaw Journal reports. Darin Dowd pleaded guilty last summer, but his sentencing has been pushed back multiple times, and a sentencing date for Jacob has not yet been set.
How authorities stopped the import
ATF agents flagged United Forces Enterprises' Form 6 import application as suspicious when they saw it listed under "Law Enforcement Sales," which triggered the investigation that ultimately stopped the shipment, WISN reports. Court documents reviewed by reporters describe the shipment as armor‑piercing incendiary rounds and state that ATF officials refused to authorize the import.
As part of his plea deal, prosecutors say Jacob Dowd agreed to cooperate with the ongoing investigation and to testify if called, according to WPR. The case remains under active review in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
