Madison Felon Sentenced to 37 Months for Gun Crime

MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Christopher Tibbs, 29, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on July 18 by U.S. District Judge James Peterson to 37 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Tibbs pleaded guilty to this offense on April 19, 2019. 

On December 8, 2018, Madison police officers responded to a 911 call reporting a man with a gun at Connections Night Club located at 3737 East Washington Avenue in Madison.  Officers found Tibbs in the back seat of a vehicle at the scene.  The car was ultimately searched and officers found a Taurus .380 caliber pistol and a magazine in the area where Tibbs was sitting.

In sentencing Tibbs at the top of his advisory guideline range, Judge Peterson noted the situation was an inch away from something going really wrong and said his number one job was to make the community safe. 

The charge against Tibbs was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department.  The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman. 

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 involves collaboration by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent and deter gun violence.