A Kalispell man has been sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to possessing a stolen firearm. U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announced that Joseph Christopher Steele, 24, will also serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
Steele pleaded guilty in October 2024 to possession of a stolen firearm. The sentencing was presided over by U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy.
According to court documents, the incident began in December 2022 when John Doe reported to 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, during an investigation into an unrelated matter, police found Doe’s stolen pickup title in a Subaru that had also been reported as stolen. Steele admitted during questioning that he had driven the Subaru but claimed he did not know it was stolen.
In January 2024, officers from the Whitefish Police Department executed a search warrant at Steele’s residence while investigating a separate case involving a stolen cell phone. At that time, Steele was on state probation. During the search, officers discovered a pistol matching the description of Doe's missing firearm based on its serial number.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with investigative support from the Kalispell and Whitefish police departments and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The initiative focuses on fostering trust within communities, supporting organizations that prevent violence before it occurs, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.
For further details about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit Justice.gov/PSN.