Marshall man sentenced for gun crime

Agents find 54 firearms at man's home

MADISON, Wis. — A Marshall man was sentenced Tuesday in federal court for a gun crime.

William J. Ryan, 44, of Marshall, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 30 months in federal prison for possession of firearms by a prohibited person.

Ryan pleaded guilty to this charge on June 18.

On Nov. 22, 2010, Ryan was present in Dane County Circuit Court when a judge issued a domestic abuse injunction/order of protection against Ryan. The order stated that Ryan was prohibited from possessing a firearm until the injunction expired on Nov. 22, 2014.

On Oct. 28, 2011, Ryan’s girlfriend contacted state of Wisconsin Probation and Parole and said that Ryan had a large number of firearms in their home.

That same day, Wisconsin Probation and Parole agents conducted a search of Ryan’s home and found 54 firearms and approximately 25,000 rounds of ammunition, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release.

At the time of this offense, Ryan was on probation for intentionally pointing a firearm at his girlfriend’s head. At sentencing, the judge said Ryan was a danger to the community and was troubled by Ryan’s history of violence toward women.