Coos County Sheriff's Office photograph of a seize stolen assault rifle lying on the floor, mostly tan with a black scope.
EUGENE, Ore. — The final defendant in a federal firearms trafficking case connected to a major Coos County burglary has been sentenced, bringing to a close the federal prosecutions of four men involved in the theft of approximately $1 million in cash, precious metals and dozens of firearms.
Last Friday, Daniel Knapp, 58, of Port Orford, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. His sentencing marked the final federal sentence in the case.
The remaining defendants were sentenced earlier this year:
- William Travis Cutlip, 41, of Port Orford, was sentenced on July 7, 2026, to 24 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release.
- Kyle Vanalstine, 31, of Bandon, was sentenced on July 7, 2026, to 77 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release.
- Matthew Knapp, 48, of Ashland, was sentenced on June 24, 2026, to five years of probation.
According to court documents, the investigation began after a significant residential burglary in Coos County.
On Dec. 19, 2023, Matthew Knapp, Daniel Knapp and Cutlip broke into a secure vault inside a residence and stole approximately $1 million in cash, gold, silver coins and at least one firearm. After the burglary, Matthew Knapp was observed possessing one of the stolen pistols. Investigators also uncovered messages documenting his history with firearms and firearm accessories dating back to March 2023, despite being legally prohibited from possessing firearms because of a prior felony conviction. Matthew Knapp was later convicted in state court of Aggravated Theft I.
Just four days later, on Dec. 23, 2023, Vanalstine allegedly returned to the same residence, broke into the vault and stole approximately 40 firearms, including assault-style rifles, pistols and at least one silencer. Prosecutors said he transferred many of the stolen firearms to Cutlip, and several were later recovered by investigators in California.
The investigation expanded further on Jan. 5, 2024, when law enforcement stopped Vanalstine in Curry County. Officers searched his vehicle and found more than one kilogram of methamphetamine, drug scales and a loaded handgun. Vanalstine was later convicted in state court for the residential burglary and a separate controlled substance offense, receiving prison sentences for both.
Four days later, on Jan. 9, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at Cutlip’s residence in Port Orford, where they recovered a stolen silencer and multiple stolen assault-style rifles taken during the burglary.
Authorities also searched Daniel Knapp’s residence in January 2024, where they discovered a .22-caliber revolver unrelated to the burglary. As a convicted felon, Daniel Knapp was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Cutlip pleaded guilty on Dec. 11, 2024, to conspiracy to traffic in firearms after also being convicted in state court for burglary.
Vanalstine pleaded guilty on Dec. 4, 2025, to trafficking in firearms and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
In February 2026, both Matthew Knapp and Daniel Knapp pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon announced the sentences.
The investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the South Coos Interagency Narcotics Team (SCINT), the Coos County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon State Police, with assistance from the Coquille Tribal Police, Bandon Police Department, Coos Bay Police Department and the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team (DINT). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Sweet.
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