Joseph Lee Doney, Possession of a Stolen Firearm, Montana 2022

BILLINGS, MT – Joseph Lee Doney, 41, of Billings, Montana, is facing up to 15 years behind bars after admitting to federal firearms crimes stemming from the illegal possession of a stolen handgun. Doney, already under state supervision for prior felony convictions, was caught with the weapon following a chaotic sequence of events last October.

According to court documents, Billings Police Department officers arrested Doney on October 13, 2022, while executing a warrant related to a probation violation. The initial trigger? Doney was spotted driving a stolen truck the night before. He’d already skipped out on state supervision way back in January 2022, adding another layer of defiance to his actions.

A subsequent search of a trailer where Doney was residing turned up a stolen Ruger .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol, along with ammunition. Doney freely admitted to officers that he had ammunition stashed in the trailer and confirmed his presence in the stolen truck. But the smoking gun – literally – came from a recorded jail call after his arrest, where Doney confessed he *knew* the pistol was stolen.

The owner of both the stolen truck and the handgun confirmed the pistol had been inside the vehicle when it was taken from his property. The vehicle and firearm were reportedly stolen while parked outside his home. This detail paints a clear picture of a calculated disregard for the law, and a willingness to profit from the misfortune of others.

Doney pleaded guilty to both “prohibited person in possession of a firearm” and “possession of a stolen firearm.” He now faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a hefty $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following his incarceration. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided over the guilty plea, with sentencing scheduled before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters.

The case was a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Billings Police Department. It falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering collaboration between law enforcement and local communities. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek is prosecuting the case, hoping to deliver a message that illegally possessing stolen firearms will not be tolerated in Montana.

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