Man faces three years for felony assault
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A Lake Mary Ronan man is facing a possible three-year commitment to the Montana Department of Corrections with all but 30 days jail time suspended. A District Court judge in Polson rejected a plea agreement that called for sentencing being deferred for three years.
Brendan Edward Adams, 58, entered into a plea agreement, on May 20, that amended one count of felony assault with a weapon to felony criminal endangerment.
According to court records, on July 2, 2020, a Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to Geiger Lane, near Lake Mary Ronan, on a report that a neighbor was “menacing people with a gun.” At the scene, a man reported that Adams had pointed a gun at his wife and threatened to shoot her if she touched his fence post again. The man said he retrieved his own gun to protect his wife.
Judge James Manley told Adams, during a sentencing hearing on Aug. 18, that although he has never been convicted of a felony before and should be afforded the opportunity of a deferred sentenced, this should stay on his record due to a similar incident that was handled in federal court before U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen.
In the second matter, records show Adams had a civil judgment against him for claims of battery, trespass, intentional infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment. In the findings of facts, the jury found that Adams wrongfully imprisoned another person by intentionally and aggressively blocking the person’s ability to cross an easement that the person had permission to use. The judgment against Adams, dated May 10, 2021, totaled $850,000.
Manley continued the sentencing hearing to Sept. 1. Adams can either withdraw his “nolo contender” (no contest) plea and take the case to trial or accept the new sentencing recommendation.
In a separate matter, Adams entered a plea of not guilty to two misdemeanor counts of unauthorized work. According to court records, Adams is alleged to have knowingly and without permit, permanently altered the lake shore protection zone by maintaining a 200-foot floating dock and extended his lawn into Lake Mary Ronan by depositing rock fill below the annual mean high-water mark. This was allegedly recorded on video by an area resident. Judge Manley set this case for trial on Feb. 14, 2022.
