Aaron Clifford Olson, Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm, Montana 2023

BILLINGS, MT – Aaron Clifford Olson, 50, of Billings, Montana, is headed to federal prison after admitting to illegally possessing a firearm, a charge stemming from an August 2022 shooting and subsequent flight from the scene. Olson was sentenced today to two years and three months, followed by three years of supervised release.

The incident unfolded on August 25th, 2022, when Billings Police Department officers responded to reports of a shooting. Witnesses identified Olson as the shooter who fled immediately after a 9mm pistol discharged inside a vehicle. The victim, sitting in the car with Olson in the left rear passenger seat, sustained a gunshot wound to the back.

According to court documents, Olson confessed to possessing the firearm and admitted the shooting was accidental. However, Olson’s history disqualified him from legally owning a gun. He has a prior felony drug conviction in Yellowstone County, automatically prohibiting him from firearm possession. Adding insult to injury, Olson was already on supervised release at the time of the incident.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters handed down the sentence after Olson pleaded guilty in March to the charge of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas K. Godfrey, with a joint investigation conducted by the Billings Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Federal authorities are framing Olson’s conviction as a win for Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaborative law enforcement efforts. The program emphasizes building trust with communities, supporting local violence prevention organizations, and strategically prioritizing enforcement.

While Olson’s accidental discharge may be a mitigating factor in the shooting itself, the court clearly determined his prior felony and status as a supervised released offender warranted significant punishment for the illegal possession. The incident serves as a stark reminder that those with a criminal history who unlawfully possess firearms will face federal prosecution.

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