A Billings resident, Damian Andrew Roman, has admitted to charges of illegal firearm possession, according to U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme. Roman, aged 26, entered a guilty plea for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He now faces potential penalties that include up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
The proceedings were overseen by U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan. The final sentencing will be determined by U.S. District Court Judge Susan P. Watters after evaluating the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory considerations. A date for sentencing is yet to be scheduled, and Roman remains detained pending further legal actions.
Court documents reveal that Roman was previously convicted of two felony offenses in 2021 within the United States District Court for the District of Montana. These convictions legally prohibit him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The incident leading to his current charges occurred on December 18, 2024, when Roman was involved in a car accident in Billings. Before law enforcement arrived at the scene, an eyewitness reported seeing Roman throw a bag over a nearby fence. Officers later found a brown Louis Vuitton bag containing a Glock Model 48 pistol with an extended magazine holding eighteen rounds of ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) traced the firearm back to Roman’s family member as the original purchaser. A fingerprint analysis on the magazine linked it to Roman through a partial print match.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office following investigations conducted by both the ATF and the Billings Police Department.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The program focuses on fostering community trust, supporting preventive community-based organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes. More details about PSN can be found at Justice.gov/PSN.
