EAST HELENA — According to the U.S. Department of Justice, a man who pleaded guilty to pulling a gun on a teenager in an East Helena neighborhood has been sentenced to five years of probation and 80 hours of community service.
Ryan Christopher Williams, 47, pleaded guilty in February 2026 to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in a school zone.
On May 1, 2025, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to Bandra Drive in East Helena around 7:30 AM. A high school student was on their way to school when Williams allegedly "used evasive driving to cut off the victim," and then he got out of his vehicle and approached the victim. The incident happened within 1,000 feet of East Helena High School.
Williams is then accused of motioning for the victim to roll down their window with an open hand while the other hand allegedly contained a small pistol.
The victim "partly rolled down their window," and Williams allegedly pointed a gun at them and "told them the driving behavior was too fast, and they couldn't drive like that in a residential area."
The court documents say, "The victim agreed, and the suspect lowered the fire and then returned to their car, and both people left the area."
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Lewis & Clark County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
