U.S. District Judge Brian Morris on Wednesday imposed a federal prison term of two years and 10 months on Celestion Charlie Ortega, a 40-year-old Box Elder resident convicted of illegally possessing a firearm.

Morris also ordered Ortega to complete three years of supervised release following his imprisonment. Ortega entered a guilty plea in April.

Parking Lot Investigation

The case stemmed from a Great Falls police response shortly after 2:30 a.m. on Sept. 29, 2025. Officers had received information that Ortega was examining parked vehicles while armed with a handgun.

Police said Ortega initially appeared to be sleeping when officers made contact, but later assisted investigators.

Weapon and Ammunition

During the investigation, officers located a loaded Hi-Point 9mm handgun inside Ortega’s vehicle. The pistol was on the floor between the front and rear seats on the passenger side.

Investigators also recovered one ammunition round from Ortega’s back pocket. Federal prosecutors said Ortega could not legally possess a firearm because he had five prior felony convictions.

The Great Falls Police Department, Montana Department of Corrections Probation and Parole, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.