Lake County District Court news for May 7, 2014
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Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases April 24:
Jonathan Drennan-Beck, 19, Pablo, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for 20 years with 15 suspended for assault with a weapon, criminal endangerment, and criminal possession of dangerous drugs, all three felonies.
According to court documents, charges stem from a Dec. 8 incident where Drennan-Beck had used a .45 caliber handgun and fired multiple shots into a residence on Joe Dog Drive in Pablo. A woman and her daughter were inside the residence at the time, and rolled onto the floor to avoid getting hit. When officers located Drennan-Beck, they also found baggies containing methamphetamine.
Rose Knott, 51, St. Ignatius, received a deferred sentence, but was ordered to complete 400 hours of community service in lieu of 20 days in Lake County Jail for felony theft. Per her plea agreement, Knott agreed to pay $15,479.42 in restitution, plus additional costs and surcharges. The remainder of her sentence was deferred for six years.
According to court documents, charges stem from a November 2010 incident where the Social Security Administration received information that Knott was fraudulently receiving social security benefits in excess of what she was were entitled to, and lying about her living arrangements. The amount of excess payments exceeds $1,500.
Joseph Assiniboine, 56, Arlee, was sentenced to DOC for five years, none suspended, for criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony.
According to court documents, charges stem from a January 2013 incident where a Tribal police officer stopped Assiniboine’s vehicle, and noticed Assiniboine’s pupils were constricted, his speech was rapid and he continually moved his jaw. Assiniboine agreed to let the officer search his vehicle, and the officer found a bottle with methadone. Assiniboine said he bought the drug from a friend in Missoula.
Richard Allen Oppelt, 30, Pablo, in a change of plea admitted committing criminal endangerment, a felony. The court found Oppelt guilty, and sentencing was set for Thursday, May 29.
According to court documents, charges stem from an April 2013 incident where Oppelt chased a vehicle along the highway with two female occupants, intentionally rammed the back of the vehicle, and then pulled alongside and forced their vehicle off the road.
Nicholas James Orr, 24, St. Ignatius, in a change of plea admitted committing burglary, a felony. The court found Orr guilty. However, because the victim was requesting restitution, and the Lake County deputy attorney had not yet discussed the plea agreement with the victim, the court will allow Orr to withdraw his guilty plea if the victim counters. Sentencing is set for June 5.
According to court documents, charges stem from a December 2013 incident where a Lake County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a report of a burglary at a vacant rental residence. The back door was busted open, a splitting maul was propped up next to it, and about 20 DVDs and personal items were missing. Footprints in the snow led to Orr’s home, where Orr confessed he had broken into the neighbor’s house with a friend. Orr said his friend had all the stolen property and did not know where the friend lived.
Justin Teigen, 33, St. Ignatius, admitted violating a condition of probation and parole and was sentenced to DOC for two years to run concurrent with two six year sentences for felony criminal endangerment and tampering with witnesses, a felony, handed down on April 23 in Judge Manley’s court.
According to court documents, charges stem from a 2007 incident where Teigen and two other women, after drinking all day, drove to Mission and crashed into a tree. The two women suffered severe head trauma plus other injuries, yet Teigen did not call for help because he was on probation. Instead, he asked someone to move the car and then covered the damaged front end up with a mattress.
Angela Zacher, 36, Alberton, pleaded an Alford Plea to an amended charge of operation of noncommercial vehicle by person with alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more, first offense, a misdemeanor. The court accepted the plea. Zacher was sentenced to 20 days of house arrest with SCRAM and GPS to being no later than Monday, April 28, with credit for time served.
According to court documents, charges stem from an April 2013 incident tribal dispatch received a report of a possible drunk driver northbound on Highway 93, approaching Arlee. The driver said the red car was swerving all over the road, and when it reached Arlee, it drove up on the sidewalk at Wilson Foods. Ten minutes later, Lake County dispatch received another report of a possible drunk driver in a red car headed south on Highway 93 between Ravalli and Arlee, swerving all over the road, varying its speed, and turning headlights off and blinkers on and off.
As a tribal officer was responding to the first report, he observed a northbound vehicle make a u-turn and start driving back toward Arlee. When he caught up with the vehicle, he noted it was a red Escort. He observed it swerve over the center line and then the fog line. A short time later, the vehicle pulled over onto the right shoulder. The officer pulled in behind, and activated his emergency lights. He observed the driver, Zacher, was slow to respond and smelled strongly of an alcoholic beverage. Zacher said she had been drinking and was arrested for DUI.
Ronald Burland, 29, Ronan, was sentenced to DOC for 10 years with five suspended for burglary, a felony.
According to court documents, charges stem from a Jan. 1 incident where a Ronan resident reported a burglary at his home. His .22 magnum rifle was stolen from his gun cabinet. There was a broken window in the spare bedroom and broken doors to a patio. The victim said Burland was one of the only people who knew where the key was hidden, that Burland had stolen the gun in the past, and the victim had previously called the police to report Burland trespassing on his property. Tracks in the snow matched Burland’s foot tread.
Travis Pierre, 36, Great Falls, admitted violating conditions of probation and had his deferred sentence revoked. Pierre was sentenced to DOC for a total of four years for two offenses of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, fourth of subsequent offenses.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases May 1:
Adrian Long, 32, Polson, was sentenced to Lake County Jail for 30 days for partner family member assault, third or subsequent offense, a felony. The remainder of his sentence was deferred for three years.
According to court documents, charges stem from a Feb. 25 incident where dispatch received a call shortly after midnight that a woman was yelling for someone to call 911 at a residence across the street. The caller could hear the woman screaming at someone to get out of the residence, and then it became “ominously quiet.”
Deputies arrived at that residence and spoke to Long, who appeared intoxicated. He said he was alone, but later said his wife was upstairs. She answered from behind a locked bathroom door downstairs. The husband said his wife had showed up drunk and started pounding on the door, and said they had an argument over lost keys. Long told officers nothing physical had occurred, and to speak to his mother-in-law, who would “assure them that his wife was crazy.” As Long spoke, he tended to drift off during sentences and had difficultly remembering his thoughts.
When officers spoke to the wife, they could see she had been crying, and her left cheek was swollen and red. She said she had been out with her mother and upon returning, got into an argument with Long. She said he had grabbed her by the neck and squeezed until she nearly lost consciousness. She told Long to leave, and when he would not, she screamed for someone to call 911. An officer saw several black and blue marks on her neck and a clear finger mark.
Carla Goodwin, 31, Corvallis, was sentenced to Lake County Jail for one year with all suspended but 30 days for driving under the influence of drugs, second offense, a misdemeanor. Goodwin was also sentenced to one year in LCJ with all suspended for habitual traffic offender, a misdemeanor.
According to court documents, charges stem from a December 2012 incident where Goodwin was pulled over on Highway 93 in the Ninepipes area after two people reported her poor driving; one caller reported that she nearly caused a head-on collision.
The Lake County Sheriff’s deputy noticed that Goodwin changed seats with her passenger when the stop was initiated. Officers also saw a snow ski randomly lodged beneath the vehicle. Goodwin was given field sobriety tests, which indicated she was impaired. After given permission to search the vehicle, drug paraphernalia with a white residue was found along with marijuana and a pipe and a variety of pills. Goodwin passed out during the search. Drug testing revealed methamphetamine and tetrahydracannabinol (the drug found in marijuana) in Goodwin’s blood. A search of her driving record showed her license had been revoked and she had a previous conviction of driving with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent or greater.
Dominick Buccelli, 20, Arlee, in a change of plea admitted committing the offense of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. The court found Buccelli guilty. Sentencing is set for June 5. Buccelli was released an ordered to contact probation and parole and set up an appointment for chemical dependency treatment.
According to court documents, charges stem from an April 16 incident where Buccelli was detained on an outstanding warrant. A Lake County Sheriff’s deputy noticed Buccelli appeared to be under the influence of methamphetamine. Buccelli admitted using methamphetamine three days prior and agreed to let the deputy search his vehicle.
The deputy found three sandwich bags with what appeared to be methamphetamine behind the rear seat. The deputy asked Buccelli what he thought he found, and Buccelli replied, “some meth in baggies behind the back seat.”
