Joseph Allen Lesmeister, Jr., Virgil Duane Matt, And Larry Charles McCormick, Sentenced In U.S. District Court

The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula, on September 11, 2013, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, JOSEPH ALLEN LESMEISTER, JR., a 23-year-old resident of Kalispell, VIRGIL DUANE MATT, age 21, and LARRY CHARLES McCORMICK, age 21, residents of Columbia Falls, were each sentenced to a term of:

• Probation: 5 years, with 6 months home arrest

• Special Assessment: $100

• Restitution: $7,319

• Community Service: 400 hours

They were sentenced in connection with their guilty pleas to possession of stolen firearms.

In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette L. Stewart, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

On May 20, 2012, the Wooden Nickel Pawn Shop in Flathead County was burglarized and eight firearms were stolen.

On June 22, 2012, the Anything Pawn Shop in Flathead County was burglarized and 16 firearms were stolen.

MATT, LESMEISTER, LARRY MCCORMICK, and JOSHUA MCCORMICK took 16 firearms and various firearm accessories. MATT and LESMEISTER ended up with 10 stolen firearms from Anything Pawn. Joshua McCormick ended up with four of stolen firearms - three from Anything Pawn Shop and one from Wooden Nickel Pawn. The disposition of two of the firearms stolen from Anything Pawn remains unknown.

On July 16 and 17, 2012, law enforcement seized 11 firearms stolen from Anything Pawn Shop from MATT and LESMEISTER. MATT admitted that he, LESMEISTER, Joshua McCormick, and LARRY McCORMICK burglarized Anything Pawn Shop in May 2012. Two stolen firearms from the Wooden Nickel were also recovered from MATT and LESMEISTER.

On July 26 and 27, 2012, law enforcement purchased a firearm from Joshua McCormick. During their interaction with Joshua McCormick and LARRY McCORMICK, law enforcement seized two firearms stolen from the Anything Pawn Shop. Both McCORMICK brothers admitted their roles in the Anything Pawn Shop burglary.

Joshua McCormick pled guilty to federal charges.

• e investigation was a cooperative effort between the Flathead County Sheriff's Office, the Kalispell Police Department, the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.