Lake County District Court news for Jan. 18, 2012
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Judge C.B. McNeil dealt with the following cases Wednesday, Jan. 11:
Thomas Wall, 49, Charlo, pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a felony. An omnibus hearing was set for Wednesday, Feb. 29, and a jury trial was set to begin Monday, April 30. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from an Oct. 22 incident where a Montana Highway Patrol Trooper responded to a crashed vehicle on Old Freight Road in Lake County. The officer could smell alcohol on the driver, Wall, who said his driver’s license was suspended for nonpayment of child support. Wall admitted to drinking a couple of beers, and the officer saw a six-pack of beer with five missing in the vehicle. Blood test results later showed Wall had a blood alcohol concentration of .24 percent. A records check showed his license was suspended and he had four prior DUI convictions, one of which was a felony.
Nathan Whitefountain, 49, Polson, pleaded not guilty to solicitation (incest), a felony, and incest, a felony. An omnibus hearing was set for Wednesday, March 28, and a jury trial was set to begin Monday, June 4. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from a Nov. 27 incident where Whitefountain’s 21-year-old daughter reported to Polson Police that her father had sexually assaulted her. She stated that the night before she had been sleeping in her bed at Whitefountain’s home when she awoke to find him sitting next to her bed on the floor. He was touching her inappropriately in her privates. She told him to stop and pulled away, but Whitefountain got up and sat on the bed next to her. She again told him to stop and he did not. She continued telling him to leave her alone, packed some belongings and went to a friend’s house. Text messages from Whitefountain’s ex-girlfriend to the young woman stated that Whitefountain said he was sorry and that he had raped his daughter. After his arrest, Whitefountain refused to answer questions from investigators, but when he was told he could be charged with sexual assault and incest he replied, “Cool. Cool, I understand.”
Isaac Cordova, 26, Ronan, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for 10 years, eight suspended, with recommendations to Treasure State Boot Camp, for criminal distribution of dangerous drugs, a felony.
According to court documents, charges stem from an August 2010 incident where a confidential informant reported to a state Division of Criminal Investigation agent that Cordova was selling methamphetamine. The informant arranged a sale between Cordova and the DCI agent for the following day. The agent purchased several sealed plastic straws from Cordova for $750, and a field test of the substance inside the straws showed it was methamphetamine. The next day, the agent again met Cordova and purchased six more sealed plastic straws from him for $500. A field test of the substance in the straws again indicated methamphetamine. Additional tests performed by the Montana State Crime Lab showed the substance from both sales was methamphetamine.
David Love, 39, Las Vegas, Nevada, pleaded not guilty to theft, a felony, and criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. An omnibus hearing was set for Wednesday, March 28, and a jury trial was set to begin Monday, June 4. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from a Dec. 23 incident where Polson Police officers stopped a motor home that was involved in a hit-and-run in Polson. The driver initially identified himself as Glenn Dillard and said the motor home belonged to his boss, Darnell Brinks. Officers eventually identified the driver as David Love and learned that he had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested, and officers spoke with a passenger in the motor home who said there was drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. After obtaining a search warrant, officers found drug paraphernalia and a white crystalline rock that tested positive for methamphetamine. He also found a check, blank except for the signature, signed “D. Nelson” on a South Dakota bank account of Darnell Brinks. Officers contacted Brinks, who said he did not own the motor home, did not know Love, and didn't know why his check was in the vehicle. He said his checkbook had been stolen. Further investigations showed the motor home had been stolen from a dealership where it was being serviced in South Dakota; the value of the vehicle is more than $1,500.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases Thursday, Jan. 12:
Peter Aimsback Jr., 21, Conrad, had his 2010 deferred sentence for accountability to deceptive practices, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years, three suspended. The court recommended Aimsback be screened for appropriate placement at MASC.
According to court documents, Aimsback admitted violating his probation by traveling out of district without notifying his probation officer, failing to report to his probation officer since April 2011, failing to pay court-ordered fines, fees and restitution, and being convicted of assault with a weapon, a felony, in Pondera County (charges stemmed from an August 2011 incident).
Jamie Dickson, 26, Elmo, in a change of plea, admitted to theft, a felony. She was found guilty and sentencing was set for Thursday, Feb. 16, at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from an Aug. 13, 2011, incident where Dickson deprived a man of unemployment benefits by forging the victim’s name on the victim’s Montana Unemployment Insurance check in the amount of $1,843. The check was deposited into Dickson’s bank account.
The two people share a post office box and the victim was in the hospital when the check arrived at the post office. On Aug. 24, the victim called a Lake County Sheriff’s deputy and reported his stolen unemployment check. In an interview with the deputy, Dickson said she lives in the same home as the victim and admitted depositing the check into her account after forging his signature on the check.
Wesley William Charlo, 34, Arlee, pleaded not guilty to failure to register, a felony. Charlo was released with a SCRAM bracelet on a $5,000 bond. An omnibus hearing was set for Thursday, Feb. 9, and a jury trial was set to begin Monday, March 26. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, Charlo was required to register as a violent offender between Oct. 19-24, 2011. On Oct. 19, he changed his residence and failed to notify the registration agency. Charlo was arrested on Oct. 18 for an incident involving a firearms discharge at a residence in Arlee. Charlo was registered through the Sexual and Violent Offender Registry as living at that address, and he posted bond on Oct. 19 under the condition that he not return to that address because it was within 1,000 feet of the victim in that case's home. Charlo informed the justice of the peace that he would be living at another residence in Arlee, but failed to update his violent offender registration as of Nov. 2.
Lisa Francis, 50, Clinton, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years, all suspended but 30 days, for criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony, and to the Lake County Jail for six months, all suspended, for criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a misdemeanor. If Francis successfully completes 30 days of inpatient treatment, she will receive credit for her jail time. She has six months from the date of sentencing to complete jail time or inpatient treatment.
According to court documents, charges stem from a February 2008 incident where an informant contacted an agent from the Northwest Drug Task Force and told the agent that the informant could purchase methamphetamine and cocaine from Francis. The informant said Fisher lived in Missoula but traveled to Lake County to sell drugs to the informant. Several text messages from Francis to the informant appeared to be related to drug sales. Then in March 2008, the informant agreed to wear a transmitter and meet Francis in Arlee, where the agent heard her say, “Here’s your present.” The informant returned to the agent with a black gift bag with marijuana and methamphetamine. The State crime lab analyzed the substances and confirmed that they were indeed marijuana and methamphetamine.
Gale Eneas, 50, Elmo, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for two years, all suspended, for criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony.
According to court documents, charges stem from a March 10, 2011, incident where two tribal police officers obtained a search warrant and searched Eneas’ residence. Inside they found paraphernalia used to ingest marijuana and a small tin containing hash.
