MISSOULA — A Kalispell man who admitted to possessing a stolen gun was sentenced Friday to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announced.
Joseph Christopher Steele, 24, had pleaded guilty in October 2024 to possession of a stolen firearm.
The government alleged in court documents that in December 2022, a man, identified as John Doe, filed a report with the Kalispell Police Department that his firearm safe containing a .45-caliber pistol and two magazines, along with the title to his pickup truck, had been stolen from his vehicle.
Five days later, while investigating an unrelated incident, police officers found Doe’s stolen pickup title in a Subaru that also had been reported stolen.
While being interviewed about the Subaru, Steele admitted he had been driving the vehicle but denied knowing it was stolen. Doe’s pickup title was not discussed.
Whitefish Police Department officers executed a search warrant on Steele’s residence in January 2024 to find evidence related to a stolen cell phone. Steele was on state probation at the time.
During the search, officers located a pistol in a gun case with two magazines. Based on the gun’s serial number, officers determined the pistol was the firearm Doe had reported stolen.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided over the sentencing.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case which was investigated by the Kalispell and Whitefish police departments and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
