Clinton Felon Gets 2 Years After Jail Call Reveals Hidden Gun Location

CLINTON — A Clinton man was sentenced to two years in federal prison after authorities discovered 75 fentanyl pills and methamphetamine hidden in a Coca-Cola can during a stolen vehicle investigation, highlighting how deadly synthetic opioids continue reaching Montana’s small communities.

Francis Levi Kelsey, 40, pleaded guilty in July to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters imposed the sentence on Nov. 18, which includes four years of supervised release following imprisonment.

The case began on June 14, 2021, when Park County law enforcement encountered Kelsey driving a 2003 Chevy during a stolen vehicle investigation. Officers searched the vehicle and found the Coca-Cola can on the driver’s seat containing 75 fentanyl pills and 22.4 grams of methamphetamine.

Law enforcement also discovered a firearm and ammunition hidden in a void under the vehicle’s center console.

“On June 15, 2021, Kelsey made a recorded jail call and instructed an individual to get to the void under the center console of the vehicle,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He was unaware officers had already located and seized the firearm.

Investigators obtained a search warrant for Kelsey’s phone, which contained text messages arranging sales of methamphetamine and fentanyl, according to court documents.

Kelsey is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a previous state felony conviction.

The case adds to a growing list of federal drug prosecutions across Montana as fentanyl trafficking continues expanding from urban centers to rural areas. In October, health officials warned of a public health crisis after 5,300 carfentanil pills were seized in Billings.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Godfrey prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Park County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri River Drug Task Force.

The prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Department of Justice program bringing together law enforcement agencies to reduce violent crime and gun violence^1.