Dustin Neal Saksa, 36, of Billings, is headed to federal prison after admitting to stealing a semi-automatic firearm from an unlocked truck and using it while prohibited due to a prior felony conviction. The theft, which occurred in April 2017, also involved the theft of a purse containing credit cards used at multiple businesses in the area.
Saksa pleaded guilty in February to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, a charge that carries stiff federal penalties. He also admitted to violating the terms of his supervised release from a previous federal conviction. U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme confirmed the sentencing, which was handed down today in federal court.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters sentenced Saksa to 63 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Additionally, he received a concurrent 18-month sentence for the supervised release violation, ensuring he will serve no less than five years behind bars.
Court records show law enforcement responded to businesses where stolen credit cards were used, leading investigators to a witness who placed Saksa inside the victim’s vehicle. Within a month, the stolen firearm was recovered. Despite being legally barred from possessing any gun, Saksa had the weapon in his control for weeks.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The agency has intensified efforts in Montana under a broader federal crackdown on illegal gun possession and trafficking.
This case falls under Project Guardian, a Department of Justice initiative launched in fall 2019 to combat gun violence through enhanced coordination between federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement. The program emphasizes prosecuting prohibited possessors like Saksa and acting on failed background checks from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
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Key Facts
- State: Montana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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