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Articles with the Tag: Crime

Teen sentenced in school bus DUI case Teen sentenced in school bus DUI case

RONAN — A Bigfork teen sobbed and thanked the judge for giving him a second chance after he was sentenced for hitting a Polson school bus filled with 10 children and one driver in May. On July 22, Daniel Fellows, 19, after previously pleading guilty to two counts of felony criminal endangerment...

Man asks for attorney to appeal life sentence

MISSOULA – A man serving a life sentence without parole for a grisly 2004 murder has asked for a defense attorney so he can appeal the federal United States District Court of Montana.  In a self-written appeal notice James Arthur Couture, 56, asked for an attorney, but did not list on what grou...

Judge rejects plea bargain

POLSON – A Lake County man could face life in prison or the death penalty after Lake County Judge Deborah Kim Christopher rejected a plea deal.  Adrian McElderry, 32, is accused of killing his wife, RaeLynn Charlo, 29, on Nov. 18, 2014. in their Charlo residence. Christopher reviewed a pre-s...

Hawk to be sentenced

 POLSON – A Ronan man accused of shooting a child in a buzzed game of “gun tag” is scheduled for sentencing this week.  Galen Hawk, 27, could face up to 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine after pleading guilty to negligent homicide in an Oct. 22, 2014 fatal shooting of 3-yea...

Drug bust case likely headed to federal court

POLSON – A Canadian man accused of trafficking 80 pounds of cocaine is expected to face charges in federal court.  An attorney for Miguel Douglas Miranda, 22, of Calgary told Lake County Judge Deborah Kim Christopher on July 2 that federal officials likely will take over prosecution in the case...

Appeal made in homicide Appeal made in homicide

HELENA – Attorneys for a man convicted by a jury in December 2014 for stabbing and killing a Polson man have asked the Montana Supreme Court to reconsider his punishment.  Makueeyapee Whitford was sentenced in April by Lake County District Judge James Manley to 60 years in Montana State Prison ...

Judge, deputy county attorney discuss drug problem, solutions Judge, deputy county attorney discuss drug problem, solutions

POLSON — Of the 30 cases on District Judge Jim Manley’s June 10 docket, all but two involved drugs — mostly methamphetamine, or alcohol, or both.  “I was like most people and didn’t realize what a problem we have in this community, on this reservation,” Manley said...

State responds to trial relocation request

POLSON — Lake County Attorney Steven Eschenbacher entered a state’s response to Harry Lozeau’s attorney’s request for a change of venue for his trial, currently set for Sept. 14. Lozeau was charged with deliberate homicide in the June 2014 shooting death of his brother, and admitte...

Accused rapist to go to trial on bail jumping, drug charges Accused rapist to go to trial on bail jumping, drug charges

RONAN – A man accused of rape in summer 2014 will go to trial later this year for felony bail jumping and drug charges, and attorneys will wait to see if he needs to be tried for the sex offenses that are unresolved after a jury couldn’t reach a verdict in the case.  According to court do...

Jury trial set for man accused of father-in-law’s murder

POLSON — Desmond MacKay, 36 of Polson, who was charged with deliberate homicide in the death of John Barrows, appeared in District Judge Deborah Kim Christopher’s court on June 18 for sentencing. Instead, Judge Christopher rejected MacKay’s plea agreement, which would drop the charge fro...


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