Oldhorn gets 15 years after suspended sentences revoked
Berl Tiskus
Clifford Oldhorn appears in Judge C. B. McNeil’s courtroom last week.
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POLSON — Clifford Oldhorn appeared in Judge C. B. McNeil’s courtroom on March 27, and his suspended sentences for three 2005 convictions for burglary, theft and deceptive practices were revoked since he violated his probation in February.
Cole Brills, a probation officer in Polson, testified that he and his partners visited Oldhorn’s residence on Feb. 15, after Oldhorn had been released on Feb. 13.
A .45-caliber pistol round and a backpack containing two boxes of .243 and 7-mm rifle ammunition and a hunting knife with a 6-inch blade were found in Oldhorn’s bedroom. The officers decided to explain to Oldhorn that he was not allowed to have ammunition and not arrest him.
Two days later, Oldhorn called police to report someone was chasing him and that he had been consuming alcohol.
Oldhorn’s attorney put Oldhorn on the witness stand. Oldhorn spent only one night in the room where the ammunition and knife were found; he spent the night before on the couch. He testified he was unaware of the lone .45 shell, and saod the backpack with ammunition and a knife belonged to his uncle.
Although Oldhorn’s attorney said the alcohol violation was his first and argued for sending Oldhorn to chemical dependency and then a prerelease, Oldhorn was sentenced to 15 years to the Department of Corrections, with none suspended, for the first count. Counts 2 and 3 netted Oldhorn an additional 10 years each, with all suspended. The sentences are to run concurrent and consecutive to count 1.
McNeil asked that the DOC consider an appropriate chemical dependency program for Oldhorn.
Oldhorn had been out on probation pending a new trial for the murder of Harold Mitchell in 2005.
