Teens Held for Taking Photos of Oil Refinery

Security guards at the Conoco-Phillips refinery in Billings detained two high school students for an alleged breach of security -- they were taking photos of the refinery for a school project.

Senior High students Wiley Miller and Jeramy Harrison had one hour to get a photo for “A Day in the Life of Billings” on April 4. As Harrison clicked a shot of steam pouring from a refinery tower, they heard a security guard yell, “No photos.”

Several guards approached the boys, who were standing outside a refinery entrance. Police were called and the teens were held for about 45 minutes.

Billings FBI agent Bill Facer said Harrison and Miller broke no federal laws and had a right to be where they were, but security officers also had a right to question what they were doing.