East Helena man sentenced to 10 years in prison for firing gun during Townsend gas station robbery

GREAT FALLS - An East Helena man who fired a gun during a robbery of a Townsend gas station was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Samuel James Collins, 34, pleaded guilty in July to possessing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

In court documents, the government alleged that on Oct. 16, 2023, Broadwater County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a reported armed robbery at the Town Pump gas station in Townsend. Two employees were present during the robbery and told law enforcement that a man entered wearing a hooded blanket coat, was not wearing pants or shoes, and fired a round from a pistol. The suspect demanded money, and the employees complied. The suspect left in a pickup truck with an estimated $330 in cash. Video surveillance from the business captured the incident:

Approximately 20 minutes later, Meagher County Sheriff's Office deputies stopped a truck matching the description of the truck used in the robbery. The driver was identified as Collins. During Collins' arrest, deputies saw a pistol, cash and a shell casing inside the truck. In a search of the truck, law enforcement seized a loaded 9mm pistol, $329 in U.S. currency, a purple hooded sweatshirt, a white hat and other items. Further investigation determined that a bullet and shell casing found at the Town Pump were fired from a 9mm pistol found in the truck Collins was driving.

The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case. The Broadwater County Sheriff's Office, Meagher County Sheriff's Office, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office, FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

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