Source: Office of United States Attorneys
MISSOULA – An Anaconda man who admitted to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm was sentenced today to 18 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Keegan Allan Strelnik, 42, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on September 26, 2019, Strelnik was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in federal court in Montana. Strelnik was sentenced to 41 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release. That federal drug conviction prohibited Strelnik from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On November 24, 2023, Strelnik went hunting in Granite County, Montana. He was captured on a game camera in possession of a hunting rifle. Strelnik attempted to remove the camera’s memory card. A witness later submitted a written statement that during the hunting expedition, Strelnik possessed the rifle, including using the rifle to fire at an elk.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the ATF, U.S. Probation Office, and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
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.