A man from Laurel, Montana, has pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, according to U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme. Kenton Charles Maslen, 64, entered his plea on January 20 before U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer.
Maslen admitted guilt to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He faces up to 15 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
Court documents show that law enforcement became involved on April 19, 2025, when they were called to assist with Maslen’s eviction from his residence in Laurel. During the process, officers noticed what appeared to be a white crystalline substance on glass in Maslen’s bedroom. This led authorities to obtain a search warrant for the property.
During the search of Maslen’s bedroom, police found a brown leather handgun holster and an ammunition can containing boxes of .22 caliber and 12-gauge shotgun shells. In the driveway was a fifth-wheel camper that Maslen identified as his own; inside it, officers located a black 12-gauge shotgun without a serial number—its barrel cut down to about 16 inches—as well as additional ammunition and magazines for other firearms.
Agents also found another gun—a North American Arms .17 caliber revolver—in a compartment on the floor of the camper. In Maslen's truck parked nearby, investigators discovered a Ruger “Single Six” .22 caliber revolver stored in its gun box.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus. The investigation was carried out by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, and Billings Police Department.
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