Lake County District Court news for Mar. 22, 2017
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Judge James A. Manley sentenced the following people Wednesday, March 15:
Harley A. Hulford, 31, of Ronan, was sentenced to three years in the Department of Corrections with no time suspended for criminal possession of dangerous drugs. He was given credit for 14 days in jail, and three misdemeanor charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement. Defense attorney Britt Cotter noted that Hulford had gone missing for about a year. Manley recommended Hulford be screened for the Nexus drug treatment program.
Jennifer Lynn Sather, 29, of Bigfork, was given a three-year deferred sentence for an amended charge of criminal endangerment. She was originally charged with a fourth or subsequent DUI. She was also ordered to pay $1,510 in fines and fees. Sather said she was grateful for the opportunities she has to get treatment.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher sentenced the following people Thursday, March 16:
Charles William Onthank, Jr., 36, of Kalispell, was sentenced to the Lake County Jail for six months for misdemeanor theft. He was also sentenced to the Department of Corrections for three years, all suspended, for an amended count of deceptive practices, a felony.
One count of felony burglary was dismissed per the plea agreement. The two sentences are to run concurrently, but consecutive to the Flathead District Court sentence he is currently serving. He will receive no credit for time served (time served is credited to the Flathead case.)
Onthank must also pay $1,138 in restitution. Cash that was seized and held as evidence will be released and applied to the restitution.
“I’m sorry for what I’ve done,” Onthank said. “I wasn’t in my right mind.”
Onthank and another defendant stole materials, tools and a credit card from the Rollins area in November 2016. Onthank attempted to use the credit card at Walmart in Polson.
Justin James Dooley, 32, of Missoula, for a felony count of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for three years, all suspended but one day served and credited, with “major reservations,” according to Judge Christopher, because Dooley has prior felony theft convictions from more than five years ago. Because he’s in AA classes and has held a full-time job in Missoula for the past eight month, Christopher gave the suspended sentence, but also gave a stern warning to continue with treatment and follow all rules of probation.
“Don’t come back. There’s nothing left for the court to do, if you don’t take advantage of this, except to incarcerate you,” Christopher said.
According to court documents, last year Dooley had meth in his possession at a gas station in Polson, where the attendant called 911 to report that a man pumping gas was “tweaking out.”
