Man sentenced for gun threats, drugs after confrontation at Richland bar

A Kennewick musician apologized for pulling a gun on two men outside a Richland bar about a year ago.

Jon. D. Miller, Jr., 39, promised a judge during a Wednesday sentencing hearing that he would spend the next about 3 1/2 years in prison improving himself.

“I’d like to apologize for my actions on that night and to let you know that I’m not wasting my time,” he said.

Miller pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree assault, illegally possessing a gun and having cocaine with the intent to distribute it. He threatened a father and two sons with a gun at Lee’s Tahitian on Jan. 12, 2025. Two of the men pinned him outside the bar until police arrived.

The charges carried between about 2 1/2 and five years in prison. Prosecutors and Miller’s defense attorney agreed to recommend a 3 1/2-year prison sentence. Judge Jackie Stam followed the recommendation.

Deputy Prosecutor Kristin McRoberts said the confrontation could have turned out far worse. The two men who were threatened with the gun didn’t know Miller.

Defense attorney Bob Thompson said Miller had just been in a bad state that night after getting kicked out of his home. An altercation started inside the bar and moved outside.

Thompson said he pulled out the gun in response. While the attorney could have argued that Miller was defending himself, it wasn’t certain that defense would convince a jury.

“He’s a nice guy, and he’s got some talents,” Thompson said. “We hope that he’ll utilize them.”

Thompson said Miller makes a living working as a musician.

Dispute at the bar

Court documents filed in the case do not explain what happened inside the bar to trigger the confrontation, but a woman who was in the tavern ran out, telling others that Miller had a gun.

A father and two sons heard what was happening and went inside to confront Miller, who pulled the gun from his waistband and pointed it at the three of them, said court documents. Miller told the men there was “one in the pipe,” referring to a bullet in the chamber.

Miller left, and the three men followed him out. After Miller pulled out the gun again and told them to leave him alone, the father and one of his sons pinned Miller against a wall until a police officer arrived, said the documents.

They handed the officer the gun and held Miller on the ground until more officers arrived.

Miller was wearing a fanny pack that police said was full of a “large amount” of cocaine, crack, heroin and fentanyl, along with packaging and scales.

Miller had a previous conviction for second-degree robbery and is not allowed to own a gun, court documents said.

The assaults came after a series of violent acts at the Uptown Shopping center late in 2024 and early in 2025.

Michael Perkins, 36, who was homeless, was killed at the shopping center Nov. 16, 2024 after he defended a woman from Isiah N. Rodriguez, 29. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison.

Two weeks later, Jay R. Bazan II, 24, allegedly threatened people inside the Daisy Ranch Saloon with a gun. He is charged with second-degree assault. His trial is scheduled for Feb. 9.