Kalispell felon sentenced in federal court for possessing shotguns
Matthew Ryan Cubberly. (Photo courtesy the Missoula County Detention Center)
A convicted felon from Kalispell received a five-year sentence in federal court in Missoula on Wednesday for allegedly keeping a pair of shotguns in his home.
Judge Donald W. Molloy also sentenced Matthew Ryan Cubberly, 36, to three years of supervised release following his imprisonment. Cubberly pleaded guilty to prohibited person in possession of a firearm and possession of an unregistered firearm in April.
Probation officers allegedly turned up the firearms while conducting a home visit in March 2022. According to court documents, the officers suspected Cubberly had violated the terms of his probation.
Authorities found the two 12-gauge shotguns next to Cubberly’s bed, court documents said. The stocks were cut off of the guns and the barrels less than 18 inches in length, officials said.
The two guns were not registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, according to court documents.
A review of records in Flathead County District Court show that local prosecutors opened three cases against Cubberly in 2017. He was found guilty of felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs, failure to register as a sexual or violent offender and criminal distribution of dangerous drugs. He was sentenced on all three in 2018.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Lowney prosecuted the case. The investigation was a joint venture between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Montana Probation and Parole, and the Kalispell Police Department.
News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.