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Reed Point Man Jailed for Stolen Firearms
GREAT FALLS, MONTANA – Jarred Lane Saunders, a 25-year-old man from Reed Point, has admitted to possessing stolen firearms found in a stolen vehicle that crashed near Helena following a pursuit, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
According to court documents, Saunders pleaded guilty to possession of stolen firearms. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the hearing. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for October 2. Saunders was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged that on October 12, 2022, Billings police officers responded to a local hotel where 23 firearms had been stolen from a vehicle parked in its lot. The lawful owners provided a list of the stolen firearms. Saunders’ fingerprints were found at the scene, suggesting he likely stole the firearms. He then brought stolen firearms and fentanyl in a stolen car to Helena.
On October 15, 2022, the Montana Highway Patrol initiated a pursuit of a stolen Mercedes, which had been taken in Billings on October 11, 2022. The Mercedes eventually crashed in a private driveway, and Saunders was arrested by Helena police officers. At his arrest, Saunders complained that he ingested 15 to 20 fentanyl pills.
A search warrant was executed on the Mercedes, and officers found approximately 300 fentanyl pills, a small amount of methamphetamine, and a .22-caliber pistol that had been stolen from the vehicle in Billings. A witness told Billings police of seeing Saunders with three duffle bags full of guns. That person received three of the firearms knowing they were stolen.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Billings Police Department, Montana Highway Patrol, Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, and Helena Police Department conducted the investigation.
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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Key Facts
- State: Montana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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