BELGRADE, Mont. — Jordan Charles Kirsch, 34, of Belgrade, was found guilty by a federal jury of illegally possessing two handguns and ammunition while the subject of a court restraining order.

Kirsch was found guilty of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He now faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

Court documents say Kirsch was issued a 10-year final order of protection in Gallatin County in 2023, prohibiting him from possessing a firearm.

In April 2024, a court order was issued for Kirsch to be removed from his residence in Belgrade.

During an investigation, a detective saw Kirsch leave the house with a gun and shoot 10 to 20 times into an embankment.

In May, Kirsch was arrested and evicted. Agents later searched the property, where they found two firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana sent the following:

A federal jury on Monday convicted a Belgrade man of a firearms crime after he was charged with illegally possessing two handguns and ammunition while the subject of a restraining order, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

After a one-day trial that began Oct. 28, the jury found the defendant, Jordan Charles Kirsch, 34, guilty of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Kirsch faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors. Sentencing was set for March 12, 2025. Kirsch was detained pending further proceedings.

“Firearms involved in internal disputes often have tragic results. In this case, Kirsch was under a court order of protection barring him from any violence against the petitioner, yet he illegally possessed two guns in violation of federal law. “I am pleased that the jury agreed with us and convicted him, and I thank our prosecution team and our law enforcement partners for their work to protect the safety of our fellow Montanans,” said U.S. Attorney Laslovich .

In court papers and at trial, the government alleged that on Dec. 19, 2023, a state district court judge in Gallatin County held a hearing and issued a final 10-year Protective Order against Kirsch. The court’s order found that the petitioner was in danger of harm, restrained Kirsch from committing or threatening to commit any act of violence against the petitioner, and ordered Kirsch not to threaten, harass, abuse, follow, stalk, annoy or annoy the petitioner. petitioner.

In April 2024, a court order was issued for Kirsch to be removed from a residence in Belgrade and for possession of the residence to be handed over to the petitioner. A sheriff’s office detective conducting surveillance observed Kirsch leave the residence with a black semi-automatic handgun and fire 10 to 20 times toward a berm near the property. On May 2, 2024, Kirsch was arrested and evicted from the property. A search warrant was executed at the property and authorities found two firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition of various calibers.

The Federal Prosecutor’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, the Missouri River Drug Task Force and the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy that strengthens the PSN based on these basic principles: build trust and legitimacy in our communities, support community organizations that help prevent it from happening violence first, establish focused and strategic approaches. compliance priorities and measurement of results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit Justice.gov/PSN.