Jonathan Paul Schulz, a 48-year-old Conrad man with a criminal past, was sentenced today to 27 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Brian Morris delivered the sentence in Great Falls, marking the end of a disturbing case fueled by online rants and illegal weapons hoarded in rural Montana.
Schulz’s downfall began with a series of volatile, gun-glorifying posts on Facebook that caught the attention of federal investigators. In one message, he declared, “i am a convicted fellon as well however the Constitution says nothing about it :)” and added, “**** the law that says we cant arm ourselvs.” He went further—posting photos of rifles and a Judge pistol, calling it “one of two new additions to my arsenal” and boasting it “goes everywhere I do.” The rhetoric escalated: Schulz claimed he had thousands of rounds of ammunition and even mortars stashed in an “outpost,” and later threatened to “start killing cops.”
Those digital breadcrumbs led the FBI to act. On August 4, 2016, agents executed a federal search warrant at Schulz’s Conrad residence. Inside, they found a loaded Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol perched on top of kitchen cabinets—chamber loaded, ready to fire. Court records revealed Schulz had stolen the weapon from his father-in-law. In the garage, agents uncovered caches of ammunition in multiple calibers, stockpiled like a private armory.
Because Schulz had a prior felony conviction out of Texas, every bullet and firearm in his possession was a federal crime. Under U.S. law, felons are barred from owning or handling firearms. His defiant online posts became key evidence, illustrating not just access to weapons, but intent and a clear disregard for public safety.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan R. Whittaker and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Schulz’s arrest and sentencing are part of a broader federal crackdown under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Justice Department initiative targeting violent crime through coordinated law enforcement action across federal, state, local, and tribal jurisdictions.
“Threats like these aren’t protected speech when they come from armed felons,” said a DOJ spokesperson following the sentencing. “When guns and rage mix in someone legally prohibited from possessing a firearm, it’s not ideology—it’s danger. And we’re watching.”
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