Not guilty pleas to assault charges

Eric Malchow pleaded not guilty Tuesday to two counts of sexual assault, both felonies, in which the victims were less than 16 years old, and one count of felony intimidation. The Thompson Falls man is being held on $25,000 bond in the Sanders County Jail. District Court Judge James Manley on Tuesday ordered that Malchow can be released on his own recognizance if he complies with GPS monitoring. The victims were age 8 and 9 when the alleged abuse took place in the summer of 2018. Trial for Malchow was set for Aug. 12.

Michael Stocking was sentenced to a five-year deferred sentence with the Department of Corrections in 20th District Judicial Court on Tuesday for charges stemming from a domestic incident in November 2018. Judge Manley also included required batterer’s treatment in sentencing Michael Stocking. “With some reservation, I’m going to give you another chance,” Judge Manley said during sentencing. “If you violate conditions and come back here … it’s not going to be good.” Stocking had been arrested in 2018 in connection with an incident on Highway 212 in Dixon. Sanders County Sheriff’s Office deputies had responded to a 911 call of a domestic situation involving Stocking, his girlfriend and his daughter.

Also Tuesday, Beau Blasius was sentenced to five years with the Department of Corrections with no time suspended after being found guilty of strangulation of a partner or family member a felony. Blasius was also sentenced on a misdemeanor family member assault charge to six months in the Sanders County Jail will all time suspended except the 124 days he has served since being arrested in November 2018.

“I let my victims’ actions control my emotions and let my anger take control,” Blasius said during sentencing on Tuesday. Judge Manley ordered that the sentence run concurrently with two pending matters in Flathead County.