James Keith LaBuff, a 49-year-old resident of Great Falls, was sentenced to a term of 20 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for the illegal possession of a firearm. LaBuff entered a guilty plea in January 2025, acknowledging his status as a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
The government alleged in court documents that on August 31, 2023, when the Cut Bank Police Department responded to reports of an individual brandishing a firearm at the Terrace Motel. Witnesses identified LaBuff as the individual involved, stating that he threatened others while waving a pistol. Upon locating LaBuff, law enforcement officers instructed him to raise his hands, at which point they observed a pistol in his back pocket. A subsequent search revealed not only the weapon but also several rounds of ammunition. Following his arrest, LaBuff claimed that the firearm discharged accidentally while he was placing it in his bag next to the bed in his motel room, a claim corroborated by the discovery of a bullet hole in the floor between the bed and the dresser.
LaBuff had a previous conviction for robbery, dating back to July 2010, which legally prohibited him from possessing a firearm. The prosecution was conducted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Myers, and the investigation involved the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Cut Bank Police Department, and the Glacier County Sheriff’s Office. This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, which seeks to mitigate violent crime and gun violence through collaboration among law enforcement agencies and community organizations. For additional information regarding Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Author: Karen Anderson
Karen is the Editor-in-Chief overseeing all news operations at Foxys Publishing Co. She also loves photography and spending time with her dogs.
