For the Tomahawk Leader
MADISON – A Merrill woman was sentenced to prison last week for making false statements during the purchase of two firearms.
Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced on Friday, March 3 that Ashley Zastrow, 32, had been sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to one year and one day in federal prison.
Zastrow’s prison term will be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
According to a release from O’Shea’s office, on Jan. 13, 2022, Zastrow purchased two firearms in Wisconsin Rapids, and in order to complete the purchase of the firearms, she falsely represented that she was the actual buyer of the firearms.
“An investigation by law enforcement revealed that she purchased these firearms for an individual who accompanied her to the store and provided her with cash at the time of purchase,” the release said. “This offense is known as a ‘straw purchase.’”
The person Zastrow provided the firearms is prohibited by law from possessing firearms as a result of previous felony convictions and allegedly used one of the firearms purchased by Zastrow to commit a homicide, according to the release.
In sentencing Zastrow, Judge Conley stated that she made a “disastrous” choice to transfer firearms to a prohibited person and could not ignore the fact that this choice contributed to a woman’s death.
“Judge Conley also reasoned that a prison sentence was warranted given the defendant’s poor performance on pre-trial release and nominal efforts to confront her methamphetamine addiction,” the release stated.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime.
The release said PSN approach involves collaboration by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent and deter gun violence.
The charge against Zastrow was the result of an investigation conducted by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the Merrill Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Marshfield Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus prosecuted the case.