Erik Joseph Perlberg, Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm, Montana 2023

BILLINGS, MT – Erik Joseph Perlberg, 48, of Billings, Montana, admitted in federal court today to illegally possessing a cache of firearms despite a prior felony conviction. The case, investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), highlights the continued flow of weapons into the hands of individuals legally barred from owning them.

The unraveling of Perlberg’s illegal arsenal began in April when he attempted to purchase a firearm at Scheels in Billings. When questioned by a store employee about the required ATF paperwork, Perlberg freely admitted he was prohibited from possessing guns due to his current felony probation status. The store rightly refused the sale, but the incident triggered an investigation that quickly escalated.

Court documents reveal that Perlberg confessed to his probation officer he possessed firearms at his residence, adding that the keys to the gun safe were located at his place of employment. A search of his workplace yielded a firearm discovered in a toolbox. A subsequent raid on Perlberg’s home uncovered numerous firearms, 18 of which were determined to have been manufactured outside of Montana – raising questions about the source and potential interstate trafficking of these weapons.

Perlberg was convicted of felony DUI in Yellowstone County in 2021, a conviction that legally prohibited him from owning or possessing any firearms. The ATF investigation quickly confirmed this, leading to the charge of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He was released pending further court proceedings.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno B. Baucus is prosecuting the case. Perlberg now faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided over the guilty plea, with sentencing scheduled before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The final sentence will be determined based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is being touted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” initiative, a broad program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through coordinated law enforcement efforts. But for residents of Billings, and for those concerned about the proliferation of illegal weapons, the case serves as a stark reminder of the challenges ahead in keeping guns out of the hands of those who would misuse them.

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