A Bend resident has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition after an incident in the Deschutes National Forest. Cody Joe Hunt, 38, will also serve three years of supervised release following his sentence.
Court documents show that on February 13, 2025, U.S. Forest Service law enforcement responded to reports of gunfire near China Hat Road in the Deschutes National Forest. When officers arrived, they saw Hunt fleeing into the woods and leaving behind an assault rifle and shell casings. Officers tracked him through the snow and found ammunition in his pockets that matched the abandoned rifle. Hunt was arrested on unrelated charges at that time.
A subsequent search warrant for Hunt’s electronic devices uncovered further evidence that he had possessed the rifle in previous weeks after being involved in its purchase at a local firearm dealer. As a convicted felon, Hunt is barred from owning firearms or ammunition.
On September 18, 2025, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a two-count superseding indictment charging Hunt with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He pleaded guilty to both counts on November 18, 2025.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Forest Service with assistance from the Deschutes County Digital Forensics Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. McLaren prosecuted the case.
Scott Bradford currently serves as U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon; he previously held roles including Chief of the White Collar Unit and Acting Chief of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section (official website). The office operates under the U.S. Department of Justice as one of 93 such offices nationwide (official website), employing 107 staff members across locations in Portland, Eugene, and Medford (official website). The U.S. Attorney’s office pursues justice by representing the United States in civil and criminal matters while working to foster trust in the federal judicial system (official website). It also engages in community outreach efforts aimed at fighting crime and protecting rights throughout Oregon (official website).
