U.S. Attorney Jesse A. Laslovich | U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney Jesse A. Laslovich | U.S. Department of Justice
A Townsend resident has pleaded guilty to firearms charges after admitting to shooting his girlfriend's dog. U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich confirmed that Gabriel Martin Puga, 33, admitted on December 4 to being a prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Puga could face up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. The case is being overseen by Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris, with sentencing scheduled for April 16, 2025. Until then, Puga remains detained.
Court documents reveal that Puga had been previously convicted of felony criminal endangerment in January in Broadwater County, which barred him from owning firearms or ammunition. On March 21, an argument ensued between Puga and his girlfriend over her dogs. She reported to law enforcement that he threatened her multiple times and mentioned using a gun.
The same day as the argument, Puga took his girlfriend's .380-caliber pistol along with her one-year-old white labrador to the mountains. He enlisted a friend to accompany him with the intention of killing the dog. In the mountains, Puga used the friend's .45-caliber pistol to shoot the dog twice before returning it.
Afterward, he returned home and informed his girlfriend about the incident while showing her a photo of the dog's pawprint in the snow at the scene of the shooting. Law enforcement discovered photos of the deceased dog and messages referencing its shooting on his phone alongside other evidence such as fur and cartridge casings at the crime scene.
The investigation was carried out by several agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Broadwater County Sheriff's Office, and Helena Police Department. The prosecution is handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). This program aims to reduce violent crime through cooperation between law enforcement levels and community engagement.
For further details on Project Safe Neighborhoods' initiatives aimed at reducing violence and fostering community trust, more information can be found at Justice.gov/PSN.
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