Billings, MT – In a grim turn of events, Wylon Alfred Plainfeather, 54, from Hays, has been sentenced to four years behind bars for his involvement in illegal firearms. The U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme announced the sentence today, which will be followed by three years of supervised release.
Plainfeather pleaded guilty in March 2025 to one count of possession of an unregistered firearm and one count of possession of an unregistered silencer. His downfall began on December 27, 2022, when law enforcement officers searched a Billings residence for a probationer who was not present.
What they found instead was a cache of three firearms in the basement. As officers were preparing to leave, Plainfeather arrived on the scene. He confessed to owning all three guns, identifying one as a sawed-off shotgun and another as a .22 caliber rifle with a makeshift silencer tube. His admission that the silencer was ineffective at muffling sound only added to his woes.
Law enforcement confirmed that the firearms were operable but had not been registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR). Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Hendricks prosecuted the case, with investigations conducted by the ATF, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, and Montana Probation and Parole.
Plainfeather claimed to have obtained all the firearms from the reservation through trades. His conviction is a part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, eliminating cartels, transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime. The operation streamlines efforts from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This sentence sends a strong message about the consequences of illegal firearm possession in Montana. As the community seeks to combat gun violence, cases like this serve as a reminder of the ongoing fight against illegal arms trafficking.
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Montana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News