Lake County District Court news for Mar. 8, 2017
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Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases on Feb. 27:
Lorraine Lee Ceniceros, 54, Ronan, had an extradition warrant against her from California dismissed after the state declined to extradite her.
A criminal possession of dangerous drugs charge against Crystal Rose McDougall was dismissed after the county attorney’s office gave her a deferred prosecution agreement for one year. McDougall is required to submit to a chemical dependency evaluation. She was originally charged after police said she gave a false name while being questioned about items in a vehicle in an alley in Ronan on Oct. 19, 2014. Police subsequently found 17 blue alprazolam pills in her belongings, according to a police report.
Krista Leigh Kraft had a criminal possession of dangerous drugs charge dismissed when the county attorney’s office gave her a deferred prosecution agreement. Kraft was charged after she was found with a used syringe that later tested positive for methamphetamine, according to a court document.
Judge James A. Manley sentenced the following people on Feb. 27 and March 1:
Casey Louise Friedlander, 34, Coeur d’Alene, had a criminal possession of dangerous drugs charge dismissed after the county attorney’s office, on Feb. 27, gave her a deferred prosecution agreement for one year. She is required to complete a chemical dependency evaluation within 30 days.
Jefferson W. Bowden, 42, had a five-year suspended sentence revoked for criminal endangerment, and he was sentenced to five years in the Department of Corrections with no time suspended. Prior to sentencing, Missoula probation officer Abby Gruber testified that Bowden has personality disorders exacerbated by use of methamphetamine and alcohol and is a registered violent offender. (He was convicted in 2005 of assault on a minor.) Although Bowden has completed the Connections Corrections and Nexus treatment programs twice each, he hasn’t changed, Gruber said. Manley recommended that Bowden receive mental health screening from DOC.
Tracy Renee Mc-Queen, 57, Kalispell, was sentenced to three years in the Department of Corrections with no time suspended for criminal possession of dangerous drugs. The sentence is to run concurrently with a five-year sentence with two years suspended in Flathead County. Mc- Queen, who testified by video from the Flathead County Jail that she is disabled because of arthritis and can’t work, was charged after police found her with heroin at a gas station in Polson, according to a court document.
Matthew M. Waterman, 28, Polson, was sentenced to 13 months with the DOC for a fourth DUI. He was also given a five-year suspended sentence in the Montana State Prison that will run concurrently with his DOC sentence. He was given credit for 17 days in jail.
Joseph W. Stevens was sentenced to three years with the DOC with all time suspended for criminal possession of dangerous drugs. He was ordered to complete a chemical dependency evaluation and pay costs of $1,030. He was given credit for 25 days in jail.
Christopher Eric Porter, 36, was sentenced to six months in jail with all time suspended except for three days served on an amended charge of misdemeanor partner family member assault. He was originally charged with felony aggravated assault after he elbowed his girlfriend’s face, grabbed her neck, and headbutted and bit her on Oct. 28, according to a court document. He was ordered to complete 40 hours at the Safe Harbor men’s program and pay $385 in fines and fees.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher sentenced the following people Thursday, March 2:
Mario Reguino Pacheco, Jr., 18, Billings, had his sentence for felony theft deferred for three years. In addition, he was sentenced to and credited for 19 days served in Lake County Jail. Pacheco was ordered to pay $14,318.80 in restitution, for which he is jointly and separately liable along with co-defendant Juan Michael Scott. Scott pleaded guilty to felony theft and bail jumping on March 2, and is set to be sentenced April 20.
Judge Christopher noted the reason for Pacheco’s deferred sentence is partly because of Pacheco’s age. He was arrested on the felony theft just six days after he turned 18, Christopher noted, and this is his first adult conviction.
“You’ve made some rougher choices before you became an adult,” Christopher told Pacheco. “I hope you get a chance to change where you’re headed.” Christopher told Pacheco that if he doesn’t change there’s an opportunity for Pacheco to be sentenced up to 10 years in Montana State Prison.
According to court documents, Pacheco, Scott and another male stole a truck from Billings on July 22, 2016. They drove to Polson where they broke into a shed at a residence and stole a lawnmower, then asked a neighbor where they could find a pawnshop. They were later found trying to pawn the mower at a pawnshop in Polson.
Jackson David Palmer, 27, Missoula, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years with two years suspended for felony criminal endangerment. The court recommended Nexus and boot camp plus a prerelease program. Two misdemeanor counts were dismissed.
According to court documents, on Aug. 5, 2016, Palmer was pulled over for driving 75 mph in a 65 mph zone on Highway 93 south of Ronan. When the Lake County deputy got out of his vehicle, Palmer drove off. He passed numerous vehicles as he approached Ronan in 45 mph and 25 mph zones, pulling away from the deputy who was driving 70 mph. Palmer turned onto Main Street and only stopped when he came upon pedestrians at a street dance being held for Pioneer Days. A blood test came back positive for methamphetamine.
Charles Ronald Harris, 27, Kalispell, for felony DUI, was sentenced to DOC for 13 months to be placed in Warm Springs Addiction Treatment and Change program or another appropriate treatment program, followed by a three-year suspended sentence.
“I have a problem with alcohol and need treatment,” Harris told the judge.
According to court documents, on Oct. 6, 2016, Harris was stopped for speeding and running a red light on Highway 93 in Polson. He admitted he was intoxicated and agreed to give a blood sample. He has two prior DUIs in Montana and one in California.
“You’re lucky you haven’t hurt somebody else,” Christopher said to Harris.
Evelyn Marie Charlo, 29, Pablo, had an amended charge of felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs, marijuana, deferred for two years. Judge Christopher explained the reason for the deferred sentence was that Charlo had no significant prior criminal history and it was her first felony offense.
According to court documents, Charlo was stopped in Pablo because her vehicle’s registration was expired. She admitted there was a halfpound of marijuana in the vehicle and that she was selling it. Per her plea agreement, the charge was reduced from possession with intent to sell.
