Troy Joseph Minson Jr., 28, of Madras, Oregon, is headed to federal prison for 57 months after being convicted of unlawful firearm possession—a crime committed in plain sight at a Springfield deli. The armed fugitive, already wanted on multiple warrants, nearly slipped away from cops before dropping a loaded .22 caliber Beretta during a chaotic arrest.
On August 3, 2014, Springfield Police responded to a frantic 911 call reporting Minson brandishing a firearm inside a local deli. Officers arrived to find Minson on the premises. When they moved to detain him, he bolted—yanking himself free, vaulting over a counter, and ditching the loaded pistol on the floor. A violent struggle followed as Minson fought back, forcing officers to physically subdue him before he was finally cuffed and hauled away.
Minson, a convicted felon, has a rap sheet that reads like a criminal playbook: first-degree burglary, methamphetamine delivery, and multiple counts of eluding police. Federal law bars felons from possessing firearms, making every second he had that Beretta a federal offense. This wasn’t a momentary lapse—it was a calculated risk by a man already on the run.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) took the lead in building the federal case, working alongside the Springfield Police Department to connect Minson to the weapon and confirm his prohibited status. Evidence was airtight: surveillance footage, witness accounts, and ballistics matched the recovered firearm to Minson’s hasty escape.
On December 6, 2016, U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken wasted no time handing down justice. Minson was sentenced to 57 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release. No leniency, no deference—just time served and a stern warning for those who flout federal gun laws.
The case was prosecuted by Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, with support from Jefferson County District Attorney Steven Leriche. Authorities stress that illegal firearms in the hands of violent felons remain a top priority for federal task forces. Minson’s downfall wasn’t luck—it was the result of relentless local and federal coordination.
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