Fresh off parole for a 1991 homicide, a Reedsburg man is heading back to prison. On Monday, 54-year-old David Davis was sentenced to eight years in federal custody after pleading guilty to possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. Prosecutors say Davis admitted the gun charge on March 18, 2026, following a 2025 search of his home that turned up multiple weapons and reignited debate over how parole rules intersect with firearm bans for people with violent records.
Weapons seized during 2025 search
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Wisconsin, investigators executed a search warrant at Davis's Reedsburg home on June 5, 2025. Inside, they reported finding a loaded Hi-Point 9mm handgun, a DPMS AR-15 rifle, an unbranded AR-15, and both 9mm and .223 ammunition. Those discoveries formed the backbone of the federal case that would follow.
Plea, sentence and the judge's remarks
Davis pleaded guilty on March 18, 2026, to one count of possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon and later received an eight-year sentence from U.S. District Judge William M. Conley. Local reporting notes officers also recovered a polymer80 privately made handgun and two AR-15 style rifles, one with its serial number removed. Conley cautioned that the collection of weapons "could have caused a lot of damage" and found that Davis had obstructed justice by trying to persuade someone else to claim ownership of the guns. The judge also said Davis had been dealing drugs in a grocery store parking lot, according to WMTV.
Federal indictment and potential penalty
A federal grand jury indicted Davis in September 2025 on a charge of possessing firearms and ammunition as a felon, a crime that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in prison under federal law. The U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Wisconsin, said the Reedsburg Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force handled the investigation, tying the seized weapons directly to the June 2025 search of Davis's residence. Federal prosecutors noted that the indictment followed the 2025 seizure.
Past conviction and parole
Wisconsin Department of Justice records cited in local coverage show that Davis was originally convicted as party to the crime of homicide and sentenced to life in prison. He was released on parole in 2020, which barred him from legally possessing any firearms. Those background details are outlined in reporting by WMTV.
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