Thomas Earl Dempsey and three accomplices carried out a violent crime spree in Missoula County on May 27, 2016, that began with a gunpoint robbery and ended in a high-speed carjacking with a family held hostage. Dempsey and Nick West stormed Deano’s General Store, brandishing firearms and demanding cash. They escaped with $3,200 — only to be abandoned in the parking lot by their getaway drivers, Carissa Lynn Kopp and Hannah Nichole Parker.
Stranded and desperate, Dempsey and West hijacked a vehicle occupied by a mother, father, grandmother, and two children. As one family member described the robbery to 911 dispatch, the armed men forced them into the backseat and sped off. What followed was a harrowing chase through Missoula County, with Dempsey opening fire on pursuing officers from the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office and Missoula Police Department. The vehicle was eventually abandoned, and both men were captured nearby.
Dempsey was sentenced to 312 months — 26 years — in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery affecting commerce under 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), carjacking under 18 U.S.C. § 2119, kidnapping under 18 U.S.C. § 1201(a)(1), and possessing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(iii). His actions put five lives at risk and terrorized first responders.
Nick West received 180 months — 15 years — plus 5 years supervised release for his role in the conspiracy, carjacking, and brandishing a firearm during a violent crime. Kopp was sentenced to 108 months — 9 years — for conspiracy to commit robbery affecting commerce. Parker received 60 months — 5 years — on the same charge. All four were ordered to pay $14,891.98 in joint restitution.
Chief Judge Dana L. Christensen handed down the sentences in Missoula federal court, underscoring the severity of crimes that endangered civilians and law enforcement alike. The coordinated response by local and federal agencies, including the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force, was pivotal in swiftly apprehending the suspects and preventing further bloodshed.
U.S. Attorney Michael W. Cotter praised the task force for their rapid, disciplined action. ‘These defendants posed an immediate threat to public safety,’ he said. FBI Special Agent Monte Shaide added that the case highlights the effectiveness of interagency cooperation. The investigation involved the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Missoula City Police, FBI, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, and Montana Department of Corrections Probation and Parole, with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Elliott.
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Key Facts
- State: Montana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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