A Great Falls man has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm. The sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release, according to U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.
James Keith LaBuff, aged 49, entered a guilty plea in January 2025 to the charge of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the case.
Court documents reveal that on August 31, 2023, officers from the Cut Bank Police Department responded to an incident at the Terrace Motel involving a man reportedly waving a gun. Witnesses identified LaBuff as the individual with the pistol who was making threats and "racking" a round. When police located LaBuff, he complied with their instructions to raise his hands, allowing officers to observe a pistol in his back right pocket. The authorities found both the weapon and several rounds of ammunition on him.
LaBuff claimed that he did not intend to fire the gun but explained it discharged when he placed it in his bag by the bed in his motel room. Officers noted there was a bullet hole between the bed and dresser.
In July 2010, LaBuff was convicted of robbery and aiding and abetting robbery in federal court, which legally prohibits him from possessing firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Myers prosecuted this case, which involved investigations conducted by the ATF, Cut Bank Police Department, and Glacier County Sheriff’s Office.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration among law enforcement agencies and communities. The program emphasizes 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.
