Celestion Charlie Ortega, a 40-year-old Box Elder man with a history of five prior felony convictions, was sentenced to two years and 10 months in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Late-Night Arrest in Great Falls
The case dates back to the early morning hours of September 29, 2025. According to court documents filed by the government, Great Falls Police Department officers responded to a call at approximately 2:30 a.m. regarding a man peering into vehicles in a parking lot while carrying a handgun.
When officers arrived, they located Ortega. He initially pretended to be asleep before cooperating with the investigation. A search of Ortega’s vehicle revealed a loaded Hi-Point 9mm pistol resting on the floorboard between the front right and rear passenger seats. Subsequent searches of Ortega himself uncovered a single round of ammunition in his back pocket.
Ortega formally pleaded guilty to the federal firearm charge in April 2026. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the proceedings and handed down the sentence, which includes three years of supervised release following the prison term.
Federal and Local Agencies Unite for Prosecution
The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, drawing on collaborative investigative work from the Great Falls Police Department, the Montana Department of Corrections Probation and Parole, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The initiative underpinning the federal involvement is Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Operating across all 94 federal districts through local U.S. Attorneys’ offices, the Department of Justice program unites federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to target violent crime. These efforts align with the broader directives of Operation Take Back America and President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces.
