Havre man sentenced to 4 years in prison for illegal possession of multiple firearms

GREAT FALLS - A Havre man who illegally possessed firearms was sentenced today to 48 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Emil Martin Lundstrom, 59, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

The government alleged in court documents that on October 10, 2017, Emil Martin Lundstrom was sentenced to 20 years with 5 years suspended on eight counts of felony theft in the Montana Seventeenth Judicial District Court, Phillips County.

On September 6, 2024, law enforcement responded to a Havre business to remove Lundstrom from the property because his employment was being terminated due to theft from the business. Officers learned from the owners Lundstrom had previously been found with bullet shell casings in his work pickup and they knew he was not allowed to be in possession of firearms because he was on probation.

A probation search was executed on Lundstrom's work pickup. A Ziploc bag with what appeared to be several rounds of 9mm full metal jacket cartridges was found in the pickup.

Law enforcement also searched Lundstrom's residence and a camper on his property. In the residence, officers found several rifle barrels and rifle buttstocks in a back bedroom under bed sheets, and three firearms in the walk-in closet of Lundstrom's bedroom, along with a safe containing cash.

In the camper, officers seized pistols, rifles, and shotguns in the living and kitchen areas and a .22 caliber pistol in a black case under the bed mattress.

When the officers asked Lundstrom if they had recovered all the firearms, he suggested they check a pile of items in the garage, which led to the discovery of another rifle in a gun case.

During an interview with law enforcement, Lundstrom admitted he knew he was prohibited because he was on probation. He also said he had acquired many of the firearms before he was placed on probation in 2017, but he purchased additional guns from individuals after being placed on probation. Lundstrom said he bought firearms through private parties after being placed on probation because he could not purchase them from an FFL. He also obtained hunting permits to hunt with firearms for several years after being placed on probation, which he knew would last for the next 20 years.

The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the ATF, Hill County Sheriff's Office, and Montana Probation and Parole.

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.

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