Lakeside, Montana – A Montana man who stole a large amount of construction equipment from a Kalispell business and transported it across state lines has been sentenced to federal prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith announced that 43-year-old Eric Brandon Wright of Lakeside was sentenced to three years and five months behind bars. Following his prison term, Wright will serve three years of supervised release.
Wright previously admitted his role in the crime by pleading guilty in January 2026 to one count of interstate transportation of stolen property. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy.
According to court records, the case centered on the theft of nearly $182,000 worth of equipment from RDO Rental Equipment in Kalispell. Prosecutors said the total value of the stolen property reached $181,890.
Theft unfolded during overnight break in
Investigators said the theft occurred during the night of Aug. 23, 2023, and continued into the early morning hours of Aug. 24. During that time, Wright gained access to the RDO property and removed multiple pieces of digging and mulching equipment.
Authorities said he also stole a Towmaster trailer that was used to haul the equipment away from the business. To transport the stolen property, Wright allegedly connected the trailer to a vehicle belonging to an employee and drove away with both the equipment and trailer.
A few days later, law enforcement recovered the employee’s vehicle. However, a motorized wheelchair that had been stored inside the vehicle was missing.
For months, investigators worked to determine where the stolen equipment had gone and who was responsible for the crime.
Investigation led officers to Idaho
A major break in the case came on Jan. 19, 2024, when authorities received information that Wright was attempting to sell construction equipment through Facebook. Investigators followed the lead and traced the equipment to a storage facility in Lewiston, Idaho.
Detectives contacted the owner of the storage facility, who confirmed that Wright had been renting space there. The discovery helped strengthen suspicions that the missing equipment had been transported out of Montana.
On Jan. 30, 2024, officers arrested Wright on an unrelated warrant. During questioning, investigators asked him about the theft from RDO Rental Equipment. Wright denied any involvement and claimed that he had purchased the equipment from another person in Missoula.
Despite his denial, investigators continued gathering evidence.
Cell phone records and surveillance footage placed Wright’s truck at or near the rental business on the night the theft occurred. Those findings helped connect him directly to the crime scene.
Authorities later uncovered additional evidence while investigating a separate theft report. Officers responded to the home of Wright’s uncle in Dalton Gardens, Idaho. During that visit, they located the missing Towmaster trailer that had been stolen from the Kalispell business.
Investigators also noticed that Wright’s uncle was using an electric wheelchair that appeared similar to the one taken from the employee’s vehicle during the theft.
The combination of surveillance footage, cell phone data, witness information, and recovered property helped investigators build their case against Wright.
The federal case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The investigation was conducted by the Kalispell Police Department and the FBI. Wright will now serve his prison sentence before beginning a three-year period of supervised release.
