MISSOULA, Mont. – A high-speed chase and a tossed shotgun couldn’t save Christopher Glenn Lakey, 35, of Columbia Falls, from a 15-year federal prison sentence. Lakey was sentenced July 20th for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, a charge stemming from a January 2022 incident that put Flathead County deputies in pursuit.
The trouble began when the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office learned Lakey was leaving Columbia Falls in a pickup truck and was believed to be armed. Deputies, already aware of an outstanding federal warrant for Lakey’s arrest, attempted to pull him over. Instead of complying, Lakey floored it, leading officers on a chase exceeding 100 mph towards Whitefish. In a desperate attempt to ditch the evidence, Lakey hurled a stolen 12-gauge shotgun out the truck window during the pursuit.
The shotgun, recovered the next day along the roadside, wasn’t just any firearm. It was loaded – one shell chambered, four more in the tube. A subsequent search of Lakey’s abandoned truck turned up two additional 12-gauge shells. This wasn’t Lakey’s first run-in with the law. Court documents reveal a rap sheet including prior felony convictions for criminal endangerment, burglary, and robbery – all reasons why he was legally barred from owning a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy wasn’t sympathetic. The judge applied the Armed Career Criminal Act, a law that mandates a 15-year sentence for repeat felony offenders caught with guns. Lakey’s history of serious offenses triggered the enhancement, ensuring a lengthy stay behind bars. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, led by Jesse Laslovich, spearheaded the prosecution.
The investigation was a collaborative effort, involving the FBI, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Probation and Parole, Whitefish Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by uniting law enforcement at all levels with the communities they serve.
PSN, recently bolstered by a Department of Justice strategy, emphasizes community trust, prevention programs, focused enforcement, and measurable results. While the program’s long-term impact remains to be seen, Lakey’s case serves as a stark reminder that illegally possessing a firearm while being a convicted felon carries severe consequences. Following his 15-year prison term, Lakey will face an additional five years of supervised release.
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