Sean Craig Rayfield, Illegal Possession of Firearm, Montana 2023

Billings Man Sentenced for Illegal Firearm Possession

A Billings man has been sentenced to four years in prison for illegal firearm possession after a firearm was found in a running washing machine at his residence.

Sean Craig Rayfield, 29, pleaded guilty in January to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

According to court records, on July 5, 2019, Billings Police officers responded to a disturbance call at Rayfield's residence. Witnesses said Rayfield was engaged in a fight with individuals at a party and that he was seen possessing a firearm.

Days later, law enforcement searched Rayfield's residence and found a firearm in a running washing machine. The firearm was a semi-automatic pistol with an attached laser sight. Rayfield was taken into custody.

A co-defendant in the case told officers that Rayfield had purchased the firearm a couple of months earlier. Rayfield was prohibited from possession of firearms and ammunition because of a prior felony conviction in California.

Rayfield was sentence to four years in prison and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus.

This case is part of Project Guardian, a Department of Justice initiative launched in the fall of 2019 to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.

Rayfield's criminal charges include being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He was detained and is currently serving his prison sentence.

Defendant Information: Sean Craig Rayfield, 29, of Billings, Montana.

Criminal Charges: Being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

City and State: Billings, Montana.

Exact Date: January (plea) and July 5, 2019 (crime date).

Sentence or Outcome: Four years in prison and three years of supervised release.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mt/pr/illegal-possession-firearm-sends-billings-man-prison-1