BILLINGS, MT – Joseph Wayne Cantrell, 30, of Billings, is facing over a decade behind bars after a federal judge handed down an 11-year, nine-month sentence for a violent carjacking and subsequent standoff with multiple law enforcement agencies. The incident, which unfolded in January 2022, culminated in a high-speed chase and gunfire, leaving the victim shaken and a stolen vehicle riddled with bullet holes.
According to court documents, Cantrell approached a man sitting in his 2017 Subaru Outback in a Billings parking lot on January 8, 2022. When the victim told him to leave, Cantrell brandished a handgun and immediately stole the vehicle. The brazen theft set off a chain of events that quickly escalated into a dangerous pursuit.
Less than an hour after the carjacking, law enforcement located Cantrell in the stolen Subaru. Instead of surrendering, Cantrell floored it, leading officers on a chase that stretched from Yellowstone County into Big Horn County. The pursuit took a particularly dangerous turn when Cantrell began firing a 9mm semi-automatic pistol from the moving vehicle as officers attempted to disable it with spike strips. The passenger side window of the Subaru was shattered by gunfire.
The chase ended when the Subaru crashed, and Cantrell bolted into a field, still clutching the firearm. A tense standoff ensued for several hours before Cantrell finally discarded the weapon and surrendered to authorities. The recovery of the 9mm pistol tied him directly to the armed robbery and the escalating violence during the pursuit. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided over the case.
Cantrell pleaded guilty in April to Hobbs Act Robbery and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas K. Godfrey and Lori Harper Suek successfully prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led the investigation, with crucial support from the Billings Police Department, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office, and Montana Probation and Parole.
Federal officials framed the prosecution as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich emphasized the program’s focus on fostering community trust, supporting violence prevention organizations, and strategically targeting enforcement efforts. Cantrell will also serve five years of supervised release following his prison term.
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