Man Faces 15 Years For Shooting Dog
 | Author:
Dee Gannon, MT43 News Correspondent
MT43 News Correspondent |
Man Faces 15 Years for Shooting Dog
Dee Gannon
MT43 News Correspondent
A Townsend man, Gabriel Puga, pled Guilty to possession of a firearm when prohibited by law; is charged with shooting his girlfriend’s dog in an incident in March 2024.
Puga faces 15 years in prison, a quarter million dollars in fines and three years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Montana. Puga appeared for the firearm charge on December 4.
Puga has been in court multiple times in Broadwater County, convicted on charges of felony criminal endangerment; prohibiting possession of firearms and/or ammunition.
In March 2024, Puga argued with his girlfriend about her dogs, while threatening her multiple times with a gun. According to the department, Puga took his girlfriend’s.380 caliber pistol and her one-year-old white Labrador Retriever and went up in the mountains with a friend. Puga then took the friend’s .45 caliber pistol and shot the dog. Afterward, he returned the friend’s pistol.
Puga then returned to the girlfriend’s house, telling her he had shot the dog, and showing her a photo of the dog’s pawprint in the snow.
Law Enforcement recovered the deceased dog, along with the .45 caliber casings that match the friend’s pistol.
Sentencing is set for April 16, 2025. Puga remains in custody.
