Michael Blake DeFrance, Firearms Crimes, Montana 2024

MISSOULA – A Missoula man convicted of multiple firearms crimes was sentenced to 21 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

Michael Blake DeFrance, 30, was found guilty by U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen on all counts charged in a second superseding indictment, including prohibited person in possession of a firearm and three counts of false statement during a firearms transaction, on May 1.

The court presided at sentencing and ordered DeFrance to self-report to the Bureau of Prisons. “DeFrance was previously convicted of partner or family member assault after he assaulted his then partner, Jermain Charlo. Because of this, he lost his right to possess firearms and yet he made false statements on firearms forms so he could illegally obtain guns at a pawn shop,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer S. Clark and Timothy J. Racicot prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force and Missoula Police Department.

In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that on June 27, 2018, a Missoula Police Department detective located a .357-caliber revolver and a box of .357-caliber ammunition in the console of DeFrance’s truck. Two .22-caliber rifles were located under the back seat. On Oct. 2, 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant on DeFrance’s residence and located a .357-caliber revolver on a desk by the front door.

The government further alleged that in May 2013, DeFrance was sentenced for partner or family member assault on Jermain Charlo in Sanders County. DeFrance signed a waiver of rights form in which he acknowledged his rights, which included – on a list of possible consequences of pleading guilty – the loss of firearms rights. The same form contained space for DeFrance to explain the basis for his guilty plea, and his form stated, “On 4-14-2013, in Sanders County I caused bodily injury to my girlfriend.”

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

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