Hamilton man found guilty of illegal gun possession

A Hamilton man was found guilty on Tuesday of illegally possessing several guns and ammunition.

According to a U.S. Attorney's Office news release, Shawn Cowan, 28, was found guilty after a one-day trial in U.S. District Court in Missoula of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Cowan had a previous aggravated assault conviction, meaning he was not allowed to own guns.

According to the release, law enforcement received information that Cowan was in possession of guns. A search warrant was executed at his residence, where law enforcement found 10 guns. According to the release, Cowan admitted that he was a felon but said he owned the guns because his conviction was fraudulent.

The trial was before Judge Donald Molloy, who will also determine Cowan's sentence at a hearing set for Aug. 26. Cowan is detained pending further proceedings. He could face up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.