Attorney General’s Office secures guilty plea from man who shot at Gallatin County law enforcement

HELENA – A Belgrade man pleaded guilty in Gallatin County District Court to shooting at a sergeant from the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office several times while fleeing from law enforcement in a high-speed chase, Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced today.

Jon Patrick Binkley, 37, pleaded guilty on October 18 to attempt to commit mitigated deliberate homicide with weapon’s enhancement. After a standoff that shut down the interstate for several hours, Binkley was eventually intercepted in Powell County and brought into custody through the Missoula Special Response Team and local law enforcement support. It was later discovered he was suffering from mental health issues and a co-occurring drug abuse disorder.

The sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 31, 2024, where the State will recommend a 50-year sentence to the Montana State Prison, with 10 years suspended. The plea agreement was reached with the support of the sergeant and his family.

Assistant Attorney General Jordan P. Salo prosecuted the case, which was primarily investigated by the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office with initial support from the Belgrade Police Department and Manhattan Police Department. The Missoula County Special Response Team, Powell County Sheriff’s Office, and Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement helped in bringing Binkley into custody safely and without further incident after he fled Gallatin County’s jurisdiction.