BILLINGS — Federal prosecutions for firearms crimes in Montana are increasing. In the past two years, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has obtained a record number of convictions on firearms offenses, with 153 convictions 2022 and 157 convictions in 2021. The third highest number of firearms convictions was in 2018, with 132 convictions.
During a news conference at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Acting Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard, of Denver; Billings Police Chief Rich St. John; and Yellowstone County Attorney Scott Twito, acknowledged the gun violence that have been occurring throughout the Billings area and discussed law enforcement’s strategy for combatting gun crimes.
The gun violence, officials said, is being driven mostly by drug trafficking activity involving methamphetamine and fentanyl and by armed robbers seeking to obtain money to buy drugs.
The ATF identified several trends that are contributing to the gun violence in the Billings community:
Firearms are usually stolen, often from vehicles, or are straw purchased, where a person illegally buys a gun for another person who is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Almost all shootings are related to drugs.
And Most of the shooters have prior convictions and are on state or federal supervision or are known to the criminal justice system.
