Man sentenced to amended charge

Marty Jay Billmayer entered his guilty pleas and was sentenced, pursuant to a plea agreement, during his omnibus hearing on Tuesday before Judge Molly Owen. County Attorney Naomi Leisz notified Judge Owen that the parties had reached a plea agreement, which included amending count one, which was originally charged as a felony driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fourth or subsequent offense. Leisz informed Judge Owen the reason the charge was being amended to negligent endangerment was due to the difficulty of proving impairment with the 0% BAC results and only trace amounts of methamphetamine being found in Billmayer’s blood following the incident on September 21, 2022.

Billmayer was found guilty of misdemeanor counts of negligent endangerment, operating without liability insurance, and operating without current registration. As set out in the plea agreement, Judge Owen sentenced Billmayer to one year in the Sanders County Jail, with all that time suspended and credit for 20 days time served. Billmayer will also have to pay a total of $1,350 in fines and $195 in surcharges and fees. The conditions of his sentence require that these fines and fees must be paid within one year of sentencing.