MISSOULA – Keegan Allan Strelnik, 42, of Anaconda, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm, according to U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme. The sentencing occurred on Thursday, May 15, 2025, in U.S. District Court, where Judge Dana L. Christensen presided over the case.

Strelnik pleaded guilty in January 2025 to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. The court documented a previous conviction in September 2019 for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, which resulted in a 41-month prison sentence and a four-year term of supervised release. This prior conviction legally barred Strelnik from possessing firearms or ammunition.

Evidence presented in court indicated that on November 24, 2023, Strelnik was spotted on a game camera with a hunting rifle while in Granite County. He was also reported to have attempted to remove the camera’s memory card and was observed firing the rifle at an elk.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney handled the prosecution, with the investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Probation Office, and Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering cooperation between law enforcement and communities. For more information on the program, visit Justice.gov/PSN.

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