A Clinton resident, Francis Levi Kelsey, 40, was sentenced to two years in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release for drug and gun-related offenses. The sentencing took place in Billings before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters.
Kelsey pleaded guilty in July 2025 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers encountered Kelsey on June 14, 2021, during a stolen vehicle investigation in Park County, Montana. Officers found Kelsey driving a 2003 Chevrolet vehicle. A search led to the discovery of a Coca-Cola can on the driver's seat containing 75 fentanyl pills and over 22 grams of methamphetamine. A firearm and ammunition were also found hidden under the center console.
Authorities obtained a warrant to search Kelsey's phone, which revealed text messages arranging sales of methamphetamine and fentanyl. The following day, while in jail, Kelsey made a recorded call instructing someone to retrieve items from the vehicle's center console, not knowing law enforcement had already seized the firearm.
Due to a previous state felony conviction, Kelsey is barred from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Godfrey. The investigation involved the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Park County Sheriff’s Office, and Missouri River Drug Task Force.
"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," according to the press release from U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme. "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." Additional information about Project Safe Neighborhoods can be found at Justice.gov/PSN.
