Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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Three co-defendants made their initial appearances before Judge Molly Owen on Tuesday, facing charges stemming from a traffic stop near Plains at the end of November. The three co-defendants, Jace Patrick Boles, Jeanysa Dem Ridley, and Riley Robert Lee McConnell, are set for jury trials on May 12, 2025. Boles pled not guilty to three felony counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and one misdemeanor count of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia. His attorney, Brian Owens, requested Boles receive an own recognizance release as he...
Timothy George Johnson made his initial appearance for one felony count of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and one misdemeanor count of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, entering not guilty pleas to both charges. Judge John Mercer set this matter for a jury trial on April 14, 2025. On November 8, as alleged in the charging documents, Plains Police Officer Kenny Hamilton initiated a stop on a truck in Plains. The passenger and registered owner of the truck, identified as Johnson, requested to use the bathroom at a nearby...
Levi Sterling Laird appeared before Judge Molly Owen on Tuesday, making his initial appearance on three felony counts of sexual assault. Laird’s attorney, Nicholas Aemisegger, advised Judge Owen that Laird was not prepared to answer to the amended information filed recently as the supporting affidavit had not been filed, which charged Laird with two additional counts of sexual assault. Laird did enter his not guilty pleas to the original three counts. Judge Owen set this matter for an arraignment on the additional two counts for December 10 a...
Darrell Delaine Michael Massey made his initial appearance before Judge Molly Owen on Tuesday on charges stemming from two separate incidents. Massey pleaded not guilty in case DC 24-41 to one felony count of theft of a light vehicle and a misdemeanor count of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia; and in DC 24-42, one felony count of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest, operating a vehicle which has not been properly registered, obstructing a peace officer or other public servant, and criminal...
Grant Alan Skinner made his initial appearance before Judge Molly Owen on Tuesday, pleading not guilty to felony charges of criminal endangerment and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fourth or subsequent offense, as well as a misdemeanor charge of assault. A jury trial was set for March 10, 2025. Making her initial appearance, Sharlyn Ann Vadnais pleaded not guilty to a felony count of assault on a minor. Judge Owen set a jury trial for March 10, 2025. Both Skinner’s and Vadnais’s charges stem from an altercation on September 7...
Kyle Thomas Adams entered not guilty pleas on Tuesday to a felony charge of aggravated driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, fourth or subsequent offense, as well as two misdemeanor charges of operating a vehicle on public highways without license plates and failure to have proper headlamps on a motorcycle. Judge John Mercer set this matter for a jury trial on January 21, 2025. According to the charging documents, on August 11, 2024 at around 7:15 p.m., Deputy Devin Wegener was patrolling when he observed a man on a motorcycle...
Judge John Mercer sentenced Isaac Samuel Warnes to a six-year deferred imposition of sentence on Tuesday for his role in the January 2024 break-in at the Top Shelf Botanicals dispensary in Plains, with credit for two days time served. In addition to the deferred sentence, Warnes will also be required to pay restitution in the amount of $39,506 and is prohibited from being on the premises of where the burglary took place. The other two co-defendants in this incident, McKenzie Allen Managhan and William Lucas Wyatt, have hearings scheduled for...
David Lee Grant appeared before Judge Molly Owen on Tuesday, entering a not guilty plea to a felony count of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fourth or subsequent offense. Judge Owen set this matter for a jury trial on February 10, 2025. On August 5, according to the charging documents, Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Zachary Rehbein received a report of a “rolling” partner or family member assault occurring in a vehicle on Hwy 382. Upon locating and stopping the reported vehicle, Trooper Rehbein identified the driver as Gra...
Appearing for his arraignment on Tuesday, Forest Taylor Grant pleaded not guilty to felony charges of partner or family member assault, third or subsequent, and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, fourth or subsequent offense. Grant also entered not guilty pleas to misdemeanor charges of criminal destruction of/or tampering with a communication device, disorderly conduct, and operating a vehicle not registered. Judge John Mercer set this matter for trial on January 21, 2025. On August 4, as alleged in the charging documents,...
Cody Allen Allestad made his initial appearance before Judge John Mercer on Tuesday, entering not guilty pleas to two felony counts of strangulation of partner or family member, two misdemeanor counts of partner or family member assault, and one felony count of partner or family member assault. Judge Mercer set the jury trial for December 2. According to the filed affidavit, on July 7, Sanders County Sheriff's deputies Devin Wegener and Patrick Barber responded to an address in Plains, where the reporting party advised that her daughter had...
Nicholas Ray Needles appeared before Judge John Larson on Tuesday for sentencing in 20th District Court. In May, Needles pleaded guilty to one count of incest as part of a plea agreement. Before proceeding to sentencing, the mother of the victims read her impact statement, addressing the impact of Needles’ actions on her and the children, but also the strength she has found to help her family overcome this and move forward. “My family’s finally free from your abuse,” she stated. A brief statement from the victim was read by her aunt. Judge L...
Nicholas Robert Smalley pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a felony count of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fourth or subsequent offense, pursuant to a plea agreement between the parties. Smalley’s attorney, Benjamin Darrow, advised that this agreement is part of a global agreement that will resolve Smalley’s additional pending charges in Missoula County. Judge Molly Owen set this matter for sentencing on September 24. Appearing for a change of plea in his two pending criminal cases, after reaching a plea agreement, William Luc...
Michael Ellis McBride came before Judge John Mercer on Tuesday, entering his admissions to the reported violations in the petition to revoke. After discussion between the parties, McBride was committed to the Department of Corrections for the remaining five years of his sentence, with credit for 701 days of street time and 44 days time served in jail. McBride was remanded to the custody of the Sanders County Sheriff’s Office for transport to the Department of Corrections. Appearing for a change of plea pursuant to a plea agreement, James W...
Nicholas Robert Smalley made his initial appearance before Judge Molly Owen on Tuesday, entering a not guilty plea to a new felony charge of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and misdemeanor charges of driving while license suspended and unlawful possession of alcoholic beverage container in motor vehicle. Judge Owen set this matter for an arraignment on July 23, after discussion between the parties regarding a potential global resolution following a revocation also being filed in Missoula County. As alleged in the filed...
Appearing before Judge John Mercer on Tuesday, Michael Ellis McBride entered his general denials to allegations that he violated the terms of his probation. McBride allegedly admitted to using methamphetamine and absconded from supervision for 413 days, according to the filed affidavit in support of the revocation. McBride was on probation for charges of burglary, theft, and bail jumping, for which he was sentenced in 2010. Judge Mercer set this matter for a hearing on the merits on July 16, 2024....
Appearing before Judge John Mercer on Tuesday, Benjamin Winkler entered his general denials to allegations brought forth by Probation and Parole regarding a revocation of his probation. Judge Mercer set this matter for a hearing on the merits on August 20, 2024. According to the affidavit filed in support of the petition to revoke, in violation of his conditions of probation, Winkler was allegedly in possession of child pornography, hasn’t completed the court ordered sex offender treatment, and attended an event where children were present a...
Justin John Mielke appeared before Judge Molly Owen on Tuesday for an initial appearance on new charges, as well as a petition to revoke probation for a previous case that he was sentenced for in April. Mielke entered not guilty pleas to a felony count of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and two misdemeanor counts of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia and driving under the influence, first offense. Mielke also entered his general denials to the revocation allegations, which stem from the new charges he faces. According to the filed...
Appearing for her arraignment in District Court on Tuesday, Shela Laurayne Herring pleaded not guilty to felony charges of criminal endangerment and assault on a peace officer and a misdemeanor charge of aggravated driving under the influence, third offense. Judge Molly Owen set this matter for a jury trial on October 21. On March 21 around 8:30 p.m, as alleged in the charging documents, Deputy Devin Wegener was patrolling in the Paradise area when he observed a truck turn onto River Road East without using their turn signal. He also saw that...
Appearing before Judge John W. Larson on Tuesday, Nicholas Ray Needles changed his plea to guilty to one count of incest, pursuant to a plea agreement between the parties. After some discussion regarding the agreed upon sentence and parole restrictions, Judge Larson set this matter for sentencing on July 30, 2024....
At Montana State University in Bozeman on Monday, the Montana Supreme Court heard oral arguments regarding two of the issues addressed in former Thompson Falls resident Danielle Wood’s appeal of her 2021 conviction for deliberate homicide in the May 2018 murder of her former partner, Matthew LaFriniere. Wood was found guilty following a two-week jury trial at the Sanders County Courthouse before former Judge Deborah Kim Christopher in January 2021, which she appealed in May of that year. Wood is currently serving her 100-year sentence in the M...
Following a global plea agreement that resolves the three cases pending before the court, Alton Steinhoff entered a no contest plea in 20th District Judicial Court on Tuesday to a felony charge of escape. Per the plea agreement, Steinhoff was committed to the custody of the Department of Public Health and Human Services for a period of 10 years, with five years suspended and credit for 203 days time served. Additionally, the other two cases were dismissed. In his statement to the court, Steinhoff expressed remorse for his actions and said that...
James William Hill made his initial appearance before Judge Molly Owen last week on a felony charge of failing to give notice of change of address by a sexual/violent offender, pleading not guilty. A jury trial was set for September 19, 2024. According to the charging documents, on January 2, Detective Ethan Harvey was contacted by Lynn Bierwagen, Probation and Parole, regarding one of her probationers that she had recently revoked. Hill, a registered sex offender, had a last known address in Paradise but had been arrested and was being held...
After nearly 24 years of serving the people of Lake and Sanders counties as a judge in the Twentieth Judicial District, Judge Deborah "Kim" Christopher has announced her retirement, effective April 5. Christopher first took the bench in 2000, becoming the first female judge to serve the Twentieth Judicial District. Growing up in Polson, but with family ties to Sanders County through her mother's family, Christopher attended law school at the University of Montana, starting her legal career as an...
Coming before Judge Molly Owen for his initial appearance, Brent Allen Wiegele entered a not guilty plea to one felony count of burglary on Tuesday. A jury trial was set for July 23, 2024. As alleged in the charging documents, on or around March 22, 2023, Sanders County Sheriff’s Deputy Craig McCarthy was advised of a reported trespass at a property between Thompson Falls and Trout Creek. According to the property owner, they had recently inherited the ranch and its equipment. The first time they had noticed anything amiss was the previous d...
Theodore Gibson made an initial appearance on Tuesday before Judge John Larson for a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon, entering a plea of not guilty. A jury trial was scheduled for July 15, 2024. As detailed in the affidavit filed with the court, on February 10, Sanders County Sheriff’s Deputy Corey Wheeldon responded to the Barber Shop Bar in Hot Springs following a report of a male entering the bar with a firearm and waiving it at patrons. Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Zachary Rehbein also responded, arriving on scene prior t...
