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Laurel Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Charge After Accidental Shooting

Joel Antonio Crusselle II faces sentencing in December after admitting to possessing a firearm while under felony indictment.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 20, 2026, 8:51 a.m. ET
According to official records released by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Montana, 27-year-old Joel Antonio Crusselle II of Laurel guilty on Aug. 7, 2026, to one count of having a firearm while under indictment. The proceedings remain open and developing as Crusselle stays in custody ahead of sentencing. Court documents state that Crusselle was released on Aug. 5, 2025, under conditions prohibiting him from possessing firearms while under felony indictment for assault with a weapon and strangulation in Yellowstone County District Court. Despite the prohibition, government filings allege Crusselle was target shooting with a .22 caliber revolver in Laurel on Feb. 16, 2026, when he accidentally shot himself in the calf while attempting to return the weapon to its holster. Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith announced the guilty plea, which was entered before U.S. District Judge Kathleen S. Lane. Crusselle faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives alongside the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office investigated the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 9, 2026.

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  1. Version 120 Aug 2026, 12:51current

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