GREAT FALLS, MT – Emil Martin Lundstrom, 59, of Havre, Montana, is trading the Montana plains for a federal prison cell after being sentenced to 48 months behind bars for illegally possessing a cache of firearms. U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme announced the sentence today, followed by three years of supervised release, a grim outcome for a man already familiar with the inside of a courtroom.
Lundstrom pleaded guilty in May 2025 to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm – a charge stemming from a 2017 felony theft conviction in Phillips County. Court documents reveal Lundstrom received a 20-year sentence with 5 years suspended on eight counts of felony theft. He should have known better, but apparently, a criminal record isn’t always a deterrent.
The bust unfolded on September 6, 2024, when Havre business owners alerted law enforcement to Lundstrom’s termination due to, predictably, theft. They also informed officers he’d been spotted with spent shell casings and was known to be prohibited from possessing firearms due to his ongoing probation. A search of his work truck turned up a Ziploc bag filled with 9mm cartridges, and things rapidly escalated.
What followed was a disturbing discovery of a personal armory. A search of Lundstrom’s residence and a camper on his property revealed a sickening collection: rifle barrels and buttstocks hidden under bedsheets, three firearms in his bedroom closet, a safe stuffed with cash, and even more weapons – pistols, rifles, and shotguns – scattered throughout the camper. When asked if he’d revealed all his guns, Lundstrom helpfully suggested officers check the garage, where yet another rifle was found. The man practically invited the heat.
During questioning, Lundstrom admitted he was well aware he wasn’t supposed to have guns, even acknowledging he’d acquired some before his 2017 conviction but continued to purchase them illegally through private sales after being placed on probation. He even had the gall to obtain hunting permits, brazenly flouting the terms of his supervision for years. He thought he could outsmart the system. He was wrong.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, with a solid investigation conducted by the ATF, Hill County Sheriff’s Office, and Montana Probation and Parole. This takedown is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. The message is clear: illegally possessing firearms will land you in federal prison. You can find more information about PSN at Justice.gov/PSN.
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Key Facts
- State: Montana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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