A 33-year-old Kalispell man with a felony conviction admitted to a firearms crime after he gave a gun to another person who used it in a fatal shooting, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Kyle Kenneth Smith pleaded guilty to prohibited person in possession of a firearm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto.
According to court documents, a Sept. 10, 2020 shooting in Kalispell resulted in the death of an individual. Smith admitted in a later interview that he had personally handed a 9mm pistol to the shooter minutes before the event occurred. Smith had a previous felony conviction for criminal endangerment and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliot is prosecuting the case.
Smith’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 3, 2024 before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen.