Missoula man pleads guilty to gun charge

GREAT FALLS - A Missoula man who had previously been convicted of felony assault admitted to illegally possessing a firearm today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.

The defendant, Jason Duane Spadt, 54, pleaded guilty to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Spadt faces 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Oct. 8, 2026. Spadt remained released pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that Spadt was found with a loaded handgun in his truck during a traffic stop in Great Falls.

Spadt was convicted in October 2022 in Missoula County of partner/family member assault and as part of his conviction he is registered as a violent offender and explicitly prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

On March 5, 2025, Spadt was pulled over in Great Falls and when officers conducted a probation search of Spadt's truck, they found a 9mm handgun loaded with a round in the chamber. Along with the gun, officers found 9mm hollow point ammunition.

The U.S. Attorney's Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Great Falls Police Department conducted the investigation.