Billings man sentenced to more than 2 years in prison for unlawfully possessing handgun

BILLINGS - A Billings man who was driving around town unlawfully carrying a firearm was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Scott Twito said.

U.S. District Judge Kathleen S. Lane presided.

Chase Ryan Daniel Hooper, 27, pleaded guilty in July 2026 to unlawfully possessing a firearm.

The government alleged in court documents that Hooper fled from Yellowstone County Sheriff's deputies driving a motorcycle without a license plate. When deputies caught up to Hooper, they discovered ammunition in his pockets and a 9mm handgun in the saddlebag of his motorcycle. Hooper had previously been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Godfrey prosecuted the case. The ATF conducted the investigation.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.