Burglary defendants appear in district court

Two of four defendants in the 2016 burglary of a Trout Creek residence appeared before Judge Kim Christopher Tuesday in 20th District Judicial Court.

Jeaneatte Post entered a not guilty to burglary while her husband, Kenneth Hoskins, changed his please to guilty to a burglary charge. The couple, along with Adina Ahlers and John Hannan, were charged in connection with burglary from a home on Beacher Lane in Trout Creek between May and July of 2016. The owner of the residence caught the four on a game camera.

During court on Tuesday, Hoskins’ attorney Britt Cotter detailed a plea agreement that recommends a Department of Corrections sentence and restitution for Hoskins, who will be sentenced February 6.

Previously, Ahlers was sentenced to 10 years in the Montana State Prison. Hannan was sentenced in May 2017 to a 5-year Department of Corrections sentence with all time suspended except two days served in the Sanders County Jail.

Also in court Tuesday, Steven Blaine Mikkelsen entered a not guilty plea for allegedly not registering as a sex offender. According to court documents, Mikkelsen last registered as living in Plains, but when he was arrested by Montana Highway Patrol on Nov. 23, 2017, he gave a Ronan address.

Judge Christopher revoked the probation of Robert Joseph Peltier and sentenced him to five years with the Department of Corrections on Tuesday. Peltier pleaded guilty to three probation violations, including not reporting to his probation officer, traveling to Butte without permission, and driving charges.

“It appears you have an incredible problem with addiction,” said Christopher, noting that in 2015 Peltier was charged with his sixth DUI offense.

In court, Peltier said he was going through a divorce and had been homeless, and said “I’ve not only hurt myself but I’ve been hurting my children.”