East Helena man admits firing gun during Townsend gas station robbery

GREAT FALLS — An East Helena man suspected of firing a gun during a robbery of a gas station in Townsend admitted to a firearms charge on July 10, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

The defendant, Samuel James Collins, 34, pleaded guilty to possessing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Collins faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Nov. 24. Collins was detained pending further proceedings.

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 Ford F-150 pickup with an estimated $330 in cash. Video surveillance from the business captured the incident:

  Approximately 20 minutes later, Meagher County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted a traffic stop of 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 subsequent 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 is prosecuting the case. The Broadwater County Sheriff’s Office, Meagher 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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