Hobbs changes plea to guilty
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POLSON — Dennis Hobbs, 56 of Polson, appeared in Judge Manley’s court Wednesday, July 2 for a change of plea.
Although Hobbs’ counsel Ben Anciaux asked for an additional week to straighten out verbage in a plea agreement Hobbs signed June 26, Judge Manley was not willing to request another continuance and wrote the clarifications into the document, and then proceeded.
Hobbs looked uncomfortable and had long pauses before answering “yes” to certain statements as he changed his plea to guilty to two felony counts of sexual intercourse without consent, and to tampering with evidence and stalking.
In exchange for his guilty plea, charges of solicitation to commit homicide, assault with a weapon and persistent felony offender were dismissed.
Hobbs was arrested May 19 and is being held on $5 million bail for stalking a woman, forcing her to have sexual intercourse without consent and attempting to hire someone to kill her. He was also charged with assault with a weapon and distributing an interview recorded between the victim and the defense attorney.
The plea agreement states that the State and defendant jointly recommend Hobbs be committed to Montana State Prison for 50 years, none suspended, and fined $50,000, all suspended, for each of the charges of sexual intercourse without consent.
According to the agreement, the stalking comes with a recommended sentence of five years in Montana State Prison, none suspended and a $10,000 fine of which all is suspended; and guilty to felony tampering with evidence, for which the recommended sentence is 10 years, none suspended, and a $50,000 fine, all suspended.
The sentences would run concurrently for a total of 50 years, but the fines would be a cumulative total of $160,000. However, the fines, per the plea agreement, would be suspended.
The court made it clear that although Hobbs pleaded guilty with the plea agreement, Hobbs may still rescind his plea and request a jury trial, to which the sentence outcome could be less or more than the recommendation in the plea agreement.
Sentencing is set for Aug. 27.
