A Montana man who suffers from mental illness and was frustrated that his application for Social Security disability benefits was denied was sentenced to a year of probation on Jan. 26. The man had previously pleaded guilty to heading toward his local Social Security Administration office with a gun.

He never made it to the office, but at his sentencing hearing the man apologized. He said he is not a violent person. He added that he has been working with mental health professionals to improve his health. "I'm doing what I can to fix it," the defendant told the judge.

The incident took place on May 31, according to the Billings Gazette. The man, 50, had recently learned that his claim for Social Security disability benefits had been denied. It is not clear whether his mental health issues were the basis of his application.

The man's disappointment in the decision apparently turned to anger and he left his home to go to the SSA office. Relatives called 911 to report that the man had a gun with him.

The sheriff of a nearby county pulled over the man's vehicle. The sheriff calmed him down, defusing the situation, the man said at the sentencing hearing.

The man was charged with two counts of retaliation against federal employees by threatening assault, but in October he reached a plea deal with prosecutors. The indictment was dropped in exchange for his pleading guilty to attempting to threaten Social Security workers. The guilty plea led to a year of probation, during which the man may not enter a federal building without permission or have a gun.

The man said he is working with an attorney on an appeal of his SSD denial.

Source: Billings Gazette, "Sanders man gets probation in threat attempt," Clair Johnson, Jan. 26, 2012