C-Falls man sentenced in Happy Valley home invasion

One of the four men charged in connection with a Happy Valley home invasion last year has been sentenced in federal court in Missoula.

U.S. District Court Judge Donald Molloy sentenced Kelly Campbell, 23, of Columbia Falls, on Oct. 24 to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to police reports and court records, two armed adult men entered the Happy Valley residence on July 6, 2011, at about 3:30 p.m. A 16-year-old female who was in the home at the time was held at gunpoint as the men stole a safe filled with guns.

Leads developed the next day resulted in the arrest of Kevin Gaethle, 30, Kalispell, who had the safe with him in Columbia Falls when arrested. Bradley Thompson, 26, of Kalispell, was arrested when he was caught allegedly shoplifting at Wal-Mart in Kalispell.

Campbell was arrested during a traffic stop that same day. A search of his vehicle uncovered some of the stolen firearms. He admitted to officers that he knew about the robbery and planned to take the guns to Portland, Ore., where he’d either purchase drugs or trade the firearms for heroin.

The fourth man, Stephen Acton, 27, formerly of Whitefish, who allegedly pointed a laser-sighted handgun at the girl during the robbery, was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service on July 19.

Acton was found in possession of an assault rifle in a Renton, Wash., home with an illegal marijuana grow operation. Acton was also wanted for allegedly running a heroin and methamphetamine drug ring and for making counterfeit money.

As reconstructed by investigators, Gaethle knew the owner of the Happy Valley home and knew he had a safe containing guns. Gaethle drove Acton and Thompson to the home and stayed in the car while they went inside. When the safe was placed in the rear of Gaethle’s car, the rear door wouldn’t close, a witness said.

All four men were initially charged in Flathead County District Court. Acton, Gaethle and Thompson pleaded not guilty in federal court in Missoula on April 12. All three were charged with robbery and faced up to 20 years in prison. Acton and Thompson were also charged with use of a firearm while committing a crime of violence and faced an additional five years. Acton and Thompson have since pleaded guilty to federal charges.