Bobbi Rochelle Hurley, Felon-in-Possession of a Firearm, Montana 2013

Missoula, Montana - In a shocking turn of events, Bobbi Rochelle Hurley, a 42-year-old resident of Seeley Lake, was sentenced to 8 months community confinement and 5 years probation for being a felon-in-possession of a firearm.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Hurley appeared in federal court on January 10, 2013, before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court ordered Hurley to pay a special assessment of $100.00.

The charges against Hurley stem from an incident on September 24, 2011, in the Lolo National Forest. United States Forest Service officers and fire suppression crews located Hurley and her boyfriend while investigating an out-of-control campfire. The officers and firefighters saw Hurley and her boyfriend shoot a Smith & Wesson .44-magnum revolver at green trees near them. Hurley later admitted to shooting the revolver.

A U.S. Forest Service wild land firefighter observed both Hurley and her boyfriend shoot the revolver across the drainage in a south/southeasterly direction from his location. The firefighter then advised them to stop shooting due to the presence of firefighters and a helicopter in the area fighting the fire. They complied with his request.

During the incident, Hurley lost her keys and requested a ride to Seeley Lake. A U.S. Forest Service officer who gave Hurley and her boyfriend a ride secured a Smith & Wesson .44 magnum revolver, model 629-3, from the vehicle. The officer unloaded several rounds from the revolver and secured it in the front seat of his patrol vehicle while transporting them. The officer then returned the revolver to Hurley's boyfriend as he did not run a criminal history check on either one until November 2, 2011.

When interviewed later, Hurley stated that she was unsure how many times she fired the pistol. Hurley acknowledged that she was a convicted felon who could not possess firearms.

As a result of the incident, Hurley was charged with being a felon-in-possession of a firearm. The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Law Enforcement and Investigations Division of the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Montana Probation and Parole.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mt/pr/bobbi-rochelle-hurley-sentenced-us-district-court