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Labissoniere sentenced for possession of dangerous drugs

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POLSON — A Spokane, Washington man was committed at District Court in Polson on Jan. 18 to five years with the Montana Department of Corrections with none of that time suspended on each of two counts of felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs.

According to court records on July 29, Thomas Labissoniere, 44, was suspected to have smuggled fentanyl and methamphetamine into the Lake County Jail. Later that same day, detention staff observed another inmate stumble and fall, become pale and experienced shallow breathing before he became unresponsive. All signs to detention staff of a possible fentanyl overdose. Emergency personnel arrived on scene and administered NARCAN which the inmate responded to. The inmate told detention staff that he found a blue pill with an “M” and “30” stamp on it on the floor near the sink and toilet. He said he crushed it up and snorted it. Surveillance at the jail shows Labissoniere was the last person in that room before the other inmate who overdosed. When confronted about drugs, Labissoniere allegedly produced a small baggie of methamphetamine. Detention staff determined that Labissoniere may be concealing fentanyl due to the effects fentanyl had on the inmate that crushed and snorted the blue pill. Labissoniere was transported to Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson for an x-ray before Labissoniere voluntarily removed and surrendered a balloon from his rectal area which contained suspected blue fentanyl pills.

Judge Molly Owen ran the sentences concurrently to each other and gave Labissoniere credit for having already served 175 days in the Lake County Jail. Judge Owen requested he be screened for any appropriate drug treatment programs.

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