Lake County District Court news for Aug. 27, 2014
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Judge Deborah K. Christopher dealt with the following cases Thursday, Aug. 14:
Dana Brewer, 43, Polson, admitted committing the charge of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. The court found Brewer guilty. She was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years with three suspended. The court also recommended she receive credit for time served provided she completes and in-patient treatment program.
According to court documents, charges stem from a June 19 incident where a Polson police officer searched Brewer’s home on a warrant and found a bag containing torn receipts, two notebooks, a TracFone, $7,671 in cash and a smoking device containing methamphetamine.
Vanessa Kay Jones, 51, St. Ignatius, was sentenced to the Department of Health and Human Services for five years with all suspended for criminal endangerment, a felony.
According to court documents, charges stem from a February 2013 incident where Jones gave a large quantity of pills to a 6-year-old female, resulting in the child being hospitalized for a drug overdose.
Patrick Lewis Lozeau, 45, Ronan, pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence, fourth or subsequent offense, a felony.
An omnibus hearing is set for Sept. 11 with a jury trial set to begin Oct. 27.
According to court documents, charges stem from a June 8 incident where Lozeau was stopped on Highway 93 at 2:10 a.m. by a St. Ignatius police officer due to erratic driving and crossing the center line. The officer smelled alcohol in the vehicle and saw multiple beer bottles in the car. Lozeau disputed the officer’s authority and asked for a tribal officer, but was unable to provide requested paperwork and blamed the bank for the problem.
Lozeau refused sobriety tests without a tribal officer present. While being transported to Lake County Jail, Lozeau continued his abusive behavior, evening spitting at the officer. Lozeau refused testing at the jail and was sent to the hospital for a blood draw to determine the level of his blood alcohol concentration.
Lozeau’s driving record showed he has at least three prior DUI convictions.
Erika Cook, 34, Polson, pleaded not guilty to two counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs. The state requested bond in the amount of $100,000. An omnibus hearing is set for Sept. 25 with a trial set to begin Oct. 27.
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.
Cyndie J. Hedeen, 19, Proctor, pleaded not guilty to criminal distribution of dangerous drugs, a felony.
An omnibus hearing is set for Oct. 16 with a jury trial to begin Dec. 8.
According to court documents, charges stem from a June 26 incident where officers responded to a report of two people wrestling next to a red car on Light Road.
When a deputy arrived he saw Hedeen walking in a field. He noted she had blood on her face and an apparent broken nose. She told the deputy that two other women had contacted her about buying some marijuana. When she arrived, one woman suggested taking a ride in the car because there were kids in the home. Hedeen said the woman tried to steal her purse that contained about $150 worth of marijuana, and ordered her out of the car. That’s when the fight allegedly ensued.
Marijuana was found in the victim’s purse.
When asked why she would admit to distribution of dangerous drugs, Hedeen said she’d rather lose $150 of marijuana than her life.
Text messages between the two parties confirmed that a woman had contacted Hedeen, asking how much it was for two bags of marijuana, and after the victim replied it was $50, the woman texted that she wanted to “blaze” with the victim, slang for smoking marijuana.
Marlene Ray Antiste, 39, Big Arm, pleaded not guilty to criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. An omnibus hearing is set for Oct. 16 with a jury trial set to begin Dec. 8.
According to court documents, charges stem from a February 2013 incident where tribal officers arrested Eldon Runsthrough on a warrant while he was sitting in Antiste’s car. The officer then located Antiste in the lobby of a Polson resort. Antiste gave the officer permission to search her car. He found a purse with a bag of methamphetamine and various drug paraphernalia. Antiste admitted the meth was hers and she had been using it.
Athena Scharnhorst, 42, St. Ignatius, per a plea agreement admitted committing the offense of criminal endangerment, a felony. Sentencing is set for Sept. 18.
According to court documents, charges stem from an August 2003 incident where a Lake County sheriff’s deputy was sent to the corner of Hillside and Lemery Roads in St. Ignatius for an unresponsive female who was slumped over the wheel in her vehicle in the middle of the intersection. Ambulance personnel removed Scharnhorst and took her to a hospital. EMTs suspected she overdosed.
Scharnhorst, through slow, slurred and raspy speech, admitted consuming a little alcohol and prescription pain pills, and said she had injected drugs into her ankles. She denied attempting suicide and said she was “messed up.”
Later, in a routine check, personnel from the hospital reported finding what looked like methamphetamine in Scharnhorst’s belongings. It was sent to the state crime lab where it was determined that is was methamphetamine.
Robert Jennings Mathewson, 32, Polson, had his attorney request a reduction in bail, but it was denied. Bail remains at $150,000. Mathewson is being held on charges of aggravated assault, two counts of sexual intercourse without consent, and kidnapping.
According to court documents, on June 18 a woman fell asleep in Mathewson’s trailer and awoke as he was touching her. She told him to stop, but he allegedly hit her in the face and allegedly brutally raped her more than once over the course of six hours while refusing to allow her to leave. She eventually escaped and went to a friend’s house and waited for transportation to the hospital. A Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy and a Tribal Law Enforcement officer arrived and interviewed her at the hospital. During the interview, the deputy noticed petechiae in her eyes and small purple dots on face, consistent with being choked. He also observed other injuries, including a bloody lip.
Michael John Ramirez, 48, Polson, in a change of plea admitted committing the offense of criminal child endangerment, a felony. Sentencing is set for Sept. 18.
According to court documents Ramirez was stopped at 1:35 a.m. on First Street in Polson, after nearly hitting another vehicle. The investigating Sheriff’s Deputy saw that Ramirez’s eyes were glassy and that he smelled of alcohol. The deputy noticed a young child in the passenger seat who was not wearing a seatbelt and was not secured in a booster seat. Ramirez refused breath tests. Blood tests at Lake County Jail indicated a .183 blood alcohol level for Ramirez.
Dominick A. Buccelli, 20, Arlee, admitted violating conditions of probation and parole on July 9 and had his deferred sentence for criminal possession of dangerous drugs revoked. Buccelli was sentenced to DOC for five years.
According to court documents, charges stem from an April 16 incident where a tribal officer detained Buccelli on a warrant, and observed that Buccelli appeared to be under the influence of methamphetamine. Buccelli agreed to let a Sheriff’s deputy search his vehicle, and small bags of methamphetamine were found. Buccelli later pleaded guilty. On July 3, Buccelli was sentenced to 20 days in Lake County Jail, with additional sentencing deferred for one year.
Ronald Joe Martin, 51, Ronan, admitted violating conditions of probation and parole June 5 and had his suspended sentence for DUI revoked. Martin was sentenced to DOC for three years with none suspended.
Judge James A. Manley dealt with the following cases Wednesday, Aug. 20:
Gregory Eneas Kenmille, 49, was sentenced to DOC for two years and credited for time served in jail. Kenmille’s suspended sentenced was revoked on July 16 due to a violation of probation and parole dated May 23. Kenmille was initially sentenced in August 1998 of aggravated burglary, a felony.
Jeffrey Young, 45, admitted violating conditions of probation and parole, and had his suspended sentence revoked. Sentencing is set for Aug. 27.
In February 2007, Young pleaded guilty to theft, a common scheme, and received a six-year deferred sentence. In March 2009, Young’s deferred sentence was revoked for misdemeanor bad checks and misdemeanor DUI convictions. Young was then sentenced to DOC for 10 years with all suspended.
