Courts
News from the office of Senator Tester U.S. SENATE — We made a lot of progress last week on our fight against consolidation in the agriculture industry. Consolidation in any industry is never good, and the ag industry is no exception. It means capitalism isn’t working, and in the meatpacking industry’s case, it’s killing rural America—putting generational ranchers out of business and hurting consumers at the beef case by inflating prices. That’s why I was thrilled to testify in support of two of my bipartisan ag transparency and competition bills as they were reviewed by the Senate Agriculture Committee last week. I’ve been fighting fo...
POLSON — Sentencing is tentatively set for June 23 for a Ronan man accused of inappropriate communications with a minor. Dwayne Oliver Turner, 36, entered a “no contest” plea at District Court in Polson May 4 to an amended charge of felony criminal endangerment. Turner was initially charged...
POLSON — A Pablo man accused in a hit and run crash-pursuit while intoxicated, with five prior convictions for DUI, has admitted to the allegations. Curtis James Heavy Runner, 40, entered a plea of guilty at District Court in Polson on April 28 to felony criminal endangerment and felony DUI, sixth life...
AURORA, COLORADO — A young man from Polson has pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder and kidnapping of his girlfriend. Dakota Chinnock, 21, was arrested Sept. 5, 2021, for allegedly beating his girlfriend Amanda Farley, 20, also of Polson, to death. According to court records, police in A...
POLSON — A Bigfork man admitted to threatening people with a gun at a construction site in Ferndale last August. Jared Anthony Ondaro, 50, entered a plea of guilty at District Court in Polson on April 28 to felony assault with a weapon. He was initially charged with three counts of assault with a weapo...
POLSON — A Polson man was committed at District Court in Polson on April 27 to 10 years with the Montana Department of Corrections with five years suspended on one count of assault on a peace or judicial officer. Kai Earl Skov, 50, was sentenced in accordance with a plea agreement reached March 9 that ...
POLSON — A Polson man admitted to the illegal possession of a sawed-off shotgun. David Micheal Fox, 67, entered a plea of guilty at District Court in Polson on April 28 to felony possession of a sawed-off shotgun. The plea was entered as part of a plea agreement that will dismiss at sentencing, one cou...
POLSON — The imposition of sentencing was deferred for a period of three years at District Court in Polson on April 20 for a Ronan woman convicted in a road rage incident. Anjelica Dawn Lozeau, 28, pleaded guilty to the amended charge of felony criminal endangerment on Feb. 9. She was initially charged...
MONTANA — Four attorneys have applied to fill a vacancy in the 20th Judicial District, covering Lake and Sanders counties, pending the retirement of Judge Jim Manley on June 1. Gov. Greg Gianforte will appoint the new judge and is currently accepting public comment and letters of support at nominatejud...
POLSON — A Somers woman was committed at District Court in Polson on April 13 to the Montana Department of Corrections for 5 years, all suspended, after pleading guilty to the operation of a non-commercial vehicle by a person with an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more, fourth or subsequent. The plea...