Lake County District Court news for Mar. 30, 2016
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
Judge James A. Manley dealt with the following cases Wednesday, March 23:
Daniel Thomas Beavers, 24, Ronan, had his sentence for felony criminal endangerment deferred for two years on conditions laid out in the plea agreement. The reasons for the sentence are that it is Beavers’ first felony charge, it is consistent with recommendations of the state, defense, and adult probation, and gives Beavers an opportunity for rehabilitation, “which he is obviously taking seriously, and the court appreciates that,” Judge James Manley said. “Good luck to you.”
According to court documents, in November 2014 Beavers was driving on Highway 93 while intoxicated. He had three prior misdemeanor DUI convictions.
Duran Thomas Sherwood, 36, St. Ignatius, had his felony forgery sentence deferred for two years based on a statutory exception due to a previously deferred sentence. “His problems are more complicated than criminal ideation,” Attorney Britt Cotter said. “He was hungry.”
According to court documents, in December 2014 Sherwood cashed another person’s checks at Ronan businesses.
Llewellyn James Andrew, 38, Elmo, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years with none suspended for two counts of felony forgery. A subsequent drug possession charge was dismissed per Andrew’s plea agreement.
Judge Manley explained people usually get a deferred sentence on first felony, “but because your addiction is so serious, virtually everybody recognized you need serious inpatient treatment in order to have any hope of success.”
According to court documents, in April and May 2015 Andrew paid for goods in Ronan businesses by writing checks on two accounts that did not belong to him.
Chelsey Loretta Garfield, 31, Coram, had her sentence for criminal possession of dangerous drugs deferred for two years. Manley explained the reason for the deferred sentence is that it’s her first felony charge, and she has a chance to habilitate herself and avoid having a felony on her record.
According to court documents, on Dec. 23 Garfield was arrested on an unrelated warrant, and a morphine pill was found in her possession.
Gage Daniel Stroop, 21, Missoula, pleaded not guilty to criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. An omnibus hearing is set for June 29 with a jury trial set to start Aug. 1.
According to court documents, on June 23, 2014, Stroop was pulled over for speeding along Highway 93 near Pablo, and a container of methamphetamine was found in his vehicle.
Karsten Karl Smith, 51, Plains, pleaded not guilty to felony theft. An omnibus hearing is set for June 8 and a jury trial is set to begin July 18.
According to court documents, in December 2015, Smith allegedly tried to sell a 14-foot trailer valued at $5,000 that was reported stolen from a Polson business in December 2014. The buyer became suspicious and asked law enforcement to run the VIN number, which revealed it was the trailer that had been reported stolen nearly a year earlier. When questioned, Smith refused to say where he got the trailer, and then produced an incomplete bill of sale with several irregularities, including a notary seal that wasn’t legal since 2013, by a notary who had not been a notary since 2000.
Elisha Matthew Webb, 26, Ronan, pleaded not guilty to criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. An omnibus hearing is set or June 8 and a jury trial is set to begin July 18.
According to court documents, on Feb. 12 Webb allegedly bought methamphetamine from a woman at a casino in Polson.
Jason Leroy Bridges, 36, Missoula, in a change of plea admitted that on July 16, 2014, he sold illegal drugs (15 Oxycodone pills, according to court documents) to a confidential informant in Lake County, pleading guilty to criminal distribution of dangerous drugs, a felony. The court found him guilty. Sentencing is set for May 4.
Michael Lee Berger, 53, Columbia Falls, in a change of plea admitted that he was driving under the influence of alcohol with a passenger. The court found Berger guilty of criminal endangerment, a felony. Sentencing is set for May 4. He was released on his own recognizance and required to be on a SCRAM bracelet.
According to court documents, on Nov. 15, 2015, Berger was driving on Highway 93 near Ronan while intoxicated. A female passenger feared for her life and called dispatch to report that Berger had been drinking all day in Missoula and had crossed over the center line into oncoming traffic, nearly causing an accident. A preliminary breath test showed Berger’s blood alcohol concentration was .286. Berger has one prior conviction for operating a motor vehicle with BAC over .08.
