FAYETTEVILLE – A Fayetteville man was sentenced on September 29, 2026, to 180 months in prison on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The Honorable Chief Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville. According to court documents, officers with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office were seeking the arrest of Dakota Wenger, age 29, related to an aggravated robbery. On December 12, 2025, detectives with the Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force received information as to Wenger’s location. A Springdale Police Officer attempted to make a traffic stop on Wenger and he fled in his vehicle, discarding two firearms. The pursuit, which lasted more than seven minutes, carried into Fayetteville through high density neighborhoods. Court records show Wenger has an extensive criminal history, including crimes of violence. U.S. Attorney Kevin R. Holmes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement. The Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force, Springdale Police Department, Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.