Thompson Falls man admits illegal possession of firearms, shortened rifle

MISSOULA - A Thompson Falls man with two prior federal felony convictions today admitted to illegally possessing a firearm and to possessing a shortened rifle after law enforcement found numerous guns at his residence, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, James Vernon Day, Jr., 55, pleaded guilty to prohibited person in possession of a firearm and to possession of an unregistered firearm. Day faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Jan. 3, 2025. Day was released pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that Day previously had been convicted in Montana of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and of illegal sale of outfitted mountain lion hunts and was prohibited from possessing firearms. The government further alleged that in December 2023, Sanders County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived at Day's property to serve a search warrant for solen vehicle parts. Day was present on the property and confronted deputies, but retreated into his residence as the search began. Day told deputies they could not enter his residence. During the search, Day was generally uncooperative with law enforcement's request to exit his residence and speak with them.

During the search, deputies located a .44-caliber rifle in a shop building, a building to which they determined Day had primary access. The shop also contained three gun safes that contained gun parts, including a barrel from an assault rifle and a barrel from a shotgun. Deputies also found a freshly killed deer head. Day eventually exited his residence and was arrested. In a search of Day's residence, deputies located an additional 36 firearms, which were strewn around the house. One of those firearms, found on the kitchen floor, was a .222-caliber rifle that was determined to have a barrel of less than 16 inches. Possession of a firearm with a shortened barrel is against federal law. In Day's vehicle, deputies found a .44-caliber revolver.

The U.S. Attorney's Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Sanders County Sheriff's Office conducted the investigation.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

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