Matthew Hamper, Meth & Firearm Crimes, Montana 2023

GREAT FALLS, MT – Matthew Phillip Hamper, 43, of Clancy, Montana, is headed to federal prison for fifteen years after admitting to flooding the Helena area with methamphetamine and illegally possessing a dangerous, homemade weapon. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris handed down the sentence on May 25, adding five years of supervised release to Hamper’s term.

The case, built by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and multiple state and local agencies, revealed Hamper was identified as a key supplier during several controlled purchases of methamphetamine in 2021. He was already under supervision by Montana Probation and Parole at the time, adding another layer of brazen disregard for the law.

A search of Hamper’s property – his residence and an RV parked nearby – turned up nearly four pounds of methamphetamine. But the drugs weren’t the only illegal items found. Investigators also discovered several firearms, including a crudely constructed, single-shot “slap gun.” The ATF quickly determined this weapon qualified as a “destructive device” and, crucially, was not registered as required by federal law.

The slap gun, pictured in evidence photos released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, is a particularly alarming find. These weapons, often built from readily available parts, are inherently unstable and pose a significant risk to both the user and anyone nearby. Their illegal construction and possession highlight the dangers of unregulated firearms and the criminals who seek to circumvent the law.

Hamper pleaded guilty in October 2022 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of an unregistered firearm. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes led the prosecution, drawing on the investigative work of the ATF, the Missouri River Drug Task Force, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, and Montana Probation and Parole.

U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich framed the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal program focused on reducing violent crime and gun violence. While PSN initiatives are often touted as community-building exercises, the Hamper case underscores the program’s reliance on hard enforcement to take dangerous individuals like him off the streets. The Department of Justice launched a renewed focus on PSN in 2021, aiming to foster trust with communities while simultaneously prioritizing strategic enforcement and measurable results.

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