GREAT FALLS – A jury on Tuesday convicted a Shelby woman of firearms crimes for lying while buying a handgun and then giving it to a juvenile, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

The jury found Susan Kaytlin Scott, 52, of Shelby, guilty of false statement during a firearms transaction and of transfer of a handgun to a juvenile, as charged in an indictment. Scott faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the false statement count and a maximum one year in prison, a $100,000 fine and one year of supervised release on the transfer to a juvenile count.

U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris set sentencing for June 4 and continued Scott’s release.

 “Federal firearms laws are in place to protect us from dangerous use. Lying to buy a handgun and then giving it unsupervised to a youth who points the loaded firearm at people is a serious offense. I want to thank Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette Stewart, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Great Falls Police Department and the Toole County Sheriff’s Office for investigating and prosecuting the case.” U.S. Attorney Alme said.

In evidence presented at trial, the prosecution said Scott bought a Taurus 9mm handgun for a 17-year-old boy on Nov. 21, 2018 at Scheels in Great Falls. In required background paperwork, Scott answered that she was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm. However, Scott bought the handgun for the boy as an early birthday present. The boy and his friend were present during the purchase, and Scott used the boy’s debit card for the purchase. Following the sale, the boy kept the handgun, and ammunition, at another residence.

A juvenile witness told investigators that the boy kept the handgun in a holster in his bedroom and had a magazine loaded in the pistol but not a round in the chamber. The boy and three friends would take out the handgun, point it at things in the room or at each other. The witness also reported that the boy pointed the handgun at Scott during an argument.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette Stewart prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the ATF, Great Falls Police Department and Toole County Sheriff’s Office.

This case is part of Project Guardian, a Department of Justice initiative launched in the fall of 2019 to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Through Project Guardian, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Montana is working to enhance coordination of its federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement partners in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. In addition, Project Guardian supports information sharing and taking action when individuals are denied a firearm purchase by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for mental health reasons or because they are a prohibited person.

 

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Oct. 3 was:

Susan Kaytlin Scott, 52, of Shelby, on charges of false statement during a firearms transaction and transfer of a handgun to a juvenile. If convicted of the serious crime, Scott faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Scott was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Toole County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 19-69.

Dylan Jace Arrow Top Knot, 19, of Browning, on charges of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted of the most serious crime, Arrow Top Knot faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Arrow Top Knot was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 19-67.

Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Oct. 1 was:

Bradley Scott Lane, 37, of Missoula, on charges of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute meth and distribution of meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lane faces a minimum mandatory five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Lane was released pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and Missoula Police Department investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 19-39.

Adrian Hernandez Altamirano, aka Candelario Hernandez Altamirano, 42, of Mexico, on charges of illegal re-entry. If convicted of the most serious crime, Altamirano faces a maximum two years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Altamirano was detained pending further proceedings. The Bozeman Police Department and Department of Homeland Security investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 19-22.

Gerald Allen Hiler, 47, of Helena, and Morgan Victor Pitsch, 25, of Helena, on charges of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting commerce, robbery affecting commerce and brandishing firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. If convicted of the most serious crime, Hiler and Pitsch face a maximum 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release. Hiler and Pitsch were detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and the Missouri River Drug Task Force investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 19-6.

If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.

To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

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