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Billings man sent to federal prison following escape, drive-by shooting

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BILLINGS - A felon who escaped from a pre-release center, committed a drive-by shooting at a house in Billings, and then led law enforcement on a chase in a stolen vehicle before crashing was sentenced Thursday to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conviction of a firearms crime, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said in a press release.

Azuriah Austin Stallcup, 20 of Billings, pleaded guilty in February to prohibited person in possession of firearm and ammunition.

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Azuriah Austin Stallcup

In court documents, federal prosecutors alleged that on July 6, 2023, Stallcup was a wanted escapee from a Butte pre-release center when he traveled to Billings, obtained a stolen .40-caliber firearm and repeatedly fired it from his stolen vehicle into a house.

Residential surveillance cameras identified the vehicle and Stallcup. Billings Police Department officers tracked Stallcup the next day to a house. When officers attempted to arrest Stallcup as he was leaving in the stolen vehicle, Stallcup rammed one of the police cars, plowed into a nearby civilian vehicle and fled on foot.

Officers chased Stallcup and saw him throw a pistol over a fence. Police officers, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, arrested Stallcup after being tackled by the owner of the car he had just hit.

Officers recovered a .40-caliber pistol. Stallcup had been convicted of assault with a weapon, a felony, in Montana District Court and was prohibited from possessing firearms.