Lake County District Court news for Sept. 10, 2014
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Judge James A. Manley dealt with the following case Wednesday, Sept. 3:
James Kelly Muraoka, 58, Lakeside, following recommendations per a plea agreement, was sentenced to six months in Lake County Jail with all suspended but one day for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, first offense, a misdemeanor. Muraoka was also credited for one day served. Sentencing on a felony criminal endangerment charge was deferred for three years.
According to court documents, charges stem from a March 31 incident where a Montana Highway Patrol trooper responded to a report of a hit and run on Highway 93 near mile marker 93. The driver of the vehicle that had been hit said a truck had swerved into his lane, and although he had avoided a head-on collision, the truck’s passenger mirror took off the driver’s side mirror. Other drivers called dispatch to report a grey truck swerving all over the highway, and reported that it had turned off the highway at M&S Meats.
The trooper caught up to Muraoka, whose blood alcohol concentration in a breath sample read .142. The mirror pieces also matched up to Muraoka’s truck.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases Thursday, Sept. 4:
Stephanie Fromm-Lyons, 21, Great Falls, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years with none suspended, for threats and other improper influence in official and political matters, a felony. For criminal mischief, a misdemeanor, she was sentenced to six months in LCJ with all suspended. The two sentences will run concurrently, and per the plea agreement, the state will agree not to prosecute Fromm-Lyons as a persistent felony offender.
According to court documents, charges stem from a May 1 report of a suspicious person at a residence. The reporting party said Fromm-Lyons had come to his house and told him that she was camping at the state park, but had no camping equipment. She also said she was on probation and would be in trouble for being in Lake County. After dispatch confirmed she was on probation, a Lake County Sheriff’s deputy came and drove her to the probation office in Polson. On the way, he heard a bumping noise and upon arrival, the defendant pulled the patrol car video camera out of her pocket. Fromm-Lyons asked for a cigarette, and when the deputy wouldn’t give her one, she began swearing and swung her fist at the deputy’s face. He grabbed her arm, locked it behind her, and escorted her to the probation office. When she tried to leave, she kicked the deputy in the knee. The deputy then arrested her and took her to Lake County Jail. The value of the camera exceeded $1,500.
Erika Cook, 34, Polson, in a change of plea admitted committing criminal distribution of dangerous drugs, a felony. A second count of criminal distribution was dismissed. The court found Cook guilty. Sentencing is set for Oct. 16.
According to court documents, charges stem from a September 2013 incident where a confidential informant purchased from Cook a plastic zip lock bag containing about one-quarter gram of methamphetamine for $40. The drug purchase was monitored by the Northwest Drug Task Force, who had a warrant to record the sale.
A day later, the informant purchased methamphetamine from a man in the same camper, and when the informant entered the camper, located next to a Polson residence, Cook was at the camper table with the man, weighing out amounts of methamphetamine into small bags from a larger bag.
Aron J. Yellow Owl, 26, Polson, for violating conditions of probation and parole, had his suspended sentence revoked. He was sentenced to DOC for five years, for placement in a drug treatment program.
According to court documents, in August 2006 Yellow Owl had his felony robbery sentence deferred for three years. After violating conditions for probation and parole, his deferred sentence was revoked and he was sentenced to DOC for 10 years with five suspended.
