An Anaconda man, Keegan Allan Strelnik, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm. U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme announced the sentence after Strelnik, aged 42, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided over the case. Court documents revealed that Strelnik was previously convicted on September 26, 2019, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in federal court in Montana. He was sentenced to 41 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release at that time. This conviction barred him from owning firearms or ammunition.
Despite this prohibition, on November 24, 2023, Strelnik went hunting in Granite County, Montana. A game camera captured him with a hunting rifle as he attempted to remove the camera’s memory card. A witness provided a statement confirming that during the hunting trip, Strelnik used the rifle to shoot at an elk.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney and investigated by the ATF, U.S. Probation Office, and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The program emphasizes fostering trust within communities and supporting organizations focused on violence prevention.
