Madison Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking

MADISON, WIS. - Timothy M. O'Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that John A. Maser, 35, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 4 months in federal prison for attempting to possess fentanyl intended for distribution. Maser pleaded guilty to this charge on April 11, 2024. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release.

The government's investigation revealed a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was responsible for bringing over 4 kilograms of fentanyl pills into Madison from Arizona. Law enforcement began investigating the organization in January 2022, following the seizure of two mail packages that each contained one kilogram of fentanyl pills. The packages had been mailed by an individual in Arizona to addresses in Madison.

One of the packages was addressed to Maser's residence. That package contained 1,075 grams of fentanyl pills (9,949 pills in total). On January 24, 2022, officers conducted a controlled delivery of the package at his residence. Maser was observed picking up the package. Officers then executed a search warrant at his residence. Maser told officers that he had agreed to accept the package for Deshawn Davis, who was his drug dealer.

At sentencing, Judge Peterson noted that Maser was responsible for the package addressed to his residence, which contained a significant quantity of fentanyl. Judge Peterson also said that the overall drug trafficking organization that Maser was involved with posed a serious danger to the community, and even minor participants like Maser needed to be held accountable. In arriving at a sentence, Judge Peterson weighed the seriousness of Maser's actions with other factors including his lack of criminal record, his lesser role in the conspiracy, and his recovery efforts confronting his serious drug addiction.

Five other defendants involved in this fentanyl trafficking operation were charged in a separate indictment and have already been sentenced. Dejon C. Glover was sentenced on May 16, 2024, to 4 ½ years in federal prison for attempting to possess fentanyl intended for distribution. Lloyd M. McKire-Bennett was sentenced on May 17, 2024, to more than 13 ½ years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possessing firearms and ammunition as a felon. Deshawn P. Davis was sentenced on May 22, 2024, to 5 ½ years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl. Yoshi R. Walker was sentenced on July 24, 2024, to 6 years in federal prison for attempting to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Christopher S. Wilson was sentenced on July 29, 2024, to 5 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

Two others were charged in connection with this trafficking organization: Jessica E. Leyvas and Dantrell T. Stevenson. Leyvas has pleaded guilty, and her sentencing hearing is yet to be scheduled. Stevenson's case is scheduled for trial, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The charge against Maser was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Dane County Narcotics Task Force. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.