Great Falls, Montana – A 35-year-old man from Great Falls will spend the next 15 years in federal prison after a jury found him guilty of illegally possessing a firearm despite a long criminal history that clearly barred him from doing so. Daniel Lee Evenson was sentenced to 180 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot.
The sentence comes after an October 2025 trial in which a jury determined that Evenson was guilty of one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the case and ultimately handed down the lengthy sentence, marking the end of a case built on both physical evidence and Evenson’s own statements to investigators.
Stolen firearm hidden in bedroom vent uncovered during investigation
Court records revealed that the case began to take shape in September 2023, when Evenson became a suspect in new criminal activity in the Great Falls area. At the time, he was already a convicted felon and was under state supervision, meaning he was legally barred from possessing any firearms or ammunition.
As part of their investigation, law enforcement officers searched Evenson’s residence. During that search, they made a critical discovery inside his bedroom. Hidden in a floor vent, officers located a loaded 9mm Smith and Wesson pistol. Further investigation revealed that the firearm had been reported stolen months earlier, taken from a vehicle in June 2023.
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When questioned, Evenson made several admissions that strengthened the case against him. He acknowledged his prior felony convictions and confirmed that he was aware he was not allowed to possess a firearm. He also admitted that the weapon found in his bedroom vent was the same 9mm pistol shown to him by investigators, leaving little doubt about his connection to the weapon.
Investigators also learned more about Evenson’s broader criminal activity. He admitted to committing two hotel robberies using a BB gun, though he denied involvement in a third robbery. He also told officers that he had been on probation since around 2017 or 2018, further confirming his status as a prohibited person under federal law.
Although Evenson claimed he did not steal the firearm, he acknowledged having some knowledge about the neighborhood from which it originated. That detail, combined with the fact that the gun was found hidden inside his personal space, played a key role in the case presented in court.
At the time of the offense, Evenson had already been convicted of at least three prior violent felonies, adding weight to the seriousness of the charges and the sentence imposed.
The investigation was carried out through a joint effort involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Great Falls Police Department, the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office, and Montana Probation and Parole. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
Officials noted that the case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide effort aimed at using the full strength of the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration, dismantle criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent offenders.
