Fox Valley Man Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Trafficking Fentanyl and Possessing Firearms as Convicted Felon; Co-Defendant Sentenced to 15 Months’ Imprisonment for[...]

Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that October 1, 2024, Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced Joseph D. Charlesworth (age: 35) to a total sentence of ten years' imprisonment and seven years' supervised release after Charlesworth pled guilty to Possessing Fentanyl With Intent to Distribute and Possessing Firearms as a Previously Convicted Felon, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1), and Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1).

According to court records, in August 2023, agents with the Lake Winnebago Area Metro Drug Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives ("ATF") investigated Charlesworth for distributing fentanyl, possessing firearms as a convicted felon, and dealing firearms without a license. In August 2023, agents arrested Charlesworth on outstanding warrants during a traffic stop and found him in possession of fentanyl that he intended to distribute and a 9-mm pistol with a loaded magazine in his waistband. Charlesworth had been previously convicted of felonies, including distributing heroin. He also faces additional charges in state court for distributing fentanyl resulting in two overdose deaths. Those cases remain pending in Outagamie and Waupaca Counties.

Charlesworth obtained the 9-mm pistol from Tyler A. Lamers (age: 28), who bought it from a Fox Valley gun dealer at Charlesworth's request in exchange for drugs. In April 2024, Lamers was convicted and sentenced by Judge Griesbach to 15 months' imprisonment for Making False Statements to a Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(a)(6). Lamers bought the pistol by falsely claiming on the federal-background-check form that he was buying it for himself when in fact, he was buying it for Charlesworth, who was prohibited by state and federal law from possessing firearms as a convicted felon.

At sentencing, Judge Griesbach stressed that Charlesworth's serious conduct, which involved potentially lethal drugs and possessing firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition as a previously convicted felon, required significant punishment and lengthy imprisonment to protect the public.

The case was investigated by the Lake Winnebago Area Metro Drug Unit and the ATF. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Funnell.

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