A Kalispell man, Caelus James Hattel, 22, has been sentenced to 32 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm. The sentence also includes three years of supervised release following his incarceration, according to U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.
Hattel pleaded guilty in April 2025 to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen oversaw the proceedings.
Court documents indicate that Hattel was previously convicted in August 2023 on felony charges of criminal endangerment and criminal possession of dangerous drugs in Flathead County District Court. He received a five-year sentence to the Montana Department of Health and Human Services for each count, with four years suspended on each and both sentences running concurrently.
The incident leading to Hattel's federal charge occurred on September 26, 2024, when the owner of Raven Rock Armory in Kalispell reported the theft of a Ruger SR-1911 10mm stainless steel pistol by an individual matching Hattel’s description. On October 3, 2024, law enforcement officers found Hattel with the stolen firearm concealed inside his pants. The store owner identified Hattel as the person who took the gun.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The investigation involved the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, and Kalispell Police Department.
The prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative designed to reduce violent crime and gun violence by fostering cooperation among law enforcement agencies and community organizations nationwide. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
"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."
