Lake County District Court news for Nov. 9, 2011
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Judge C.B. McNeil dealt with the following cases Wednesday, Nov. 2:
Canyon Murrin, 20, Polson, in a change of plea, admitted committing theft, a felony. Murrin was found guilty and sentencing was set for Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 9 a.m. According to court documents, charges stem from a August incident where a someone reported an extortion attempt to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the victim’s report, he had received an anonymous note threatening to publish a video of him engaged in sexual activity unless he left $10,000 cash at a described location in Lake County. With the letter was a thumb drive with a copy of the video, which the victim said was stolen from his home several years earlier by an unknown burglar. Sheriff’s detectives prepared a bag of mostly fake bills and set up surveillance at the described drop site. Officers later saw Murrin and another man arrive and retrieve the bag.
Wayne Blickenstaff, 22, Polson, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for 10 years with five suspended for criminal endangerment, a felony. Blickenstaff was also sentenced to one year, with all but 15 days suspended, for each of two counts of partner or family member assault, a misdemeanor. All three sentences are to run concurrently. The court also recommended that Blickenstaff be considered for placement in Connections
Corrections followed by boot camp. If he completes the boot camp program, the State would not oppose suspended his time in the DOC for these sentences. According to court documents, Blickenstaff had his deferred and suspended sentences for one count of criminal endangerment and two counts of partner or family member assault revoked when he violated his conditions of parole and probation. On June 23, his urine tested positive for methamphetamine; and on June 28 he tested positive for THC, opiates and oxycontin. He did not have a prescription for marijuana, opiates or oxycontin. In a separate case, Blickenstaff was sentenced to five years, all suspended, for each of two counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. According to court documents, charges stem from a Jan. 11 incident where tribal police officers were asked to assist with a probation search of Blickenstaff’s residence. A prescription bottle with a variety of pills was found Blickenstaff’s bedroom, and he admitted using marijuana and methamphetamine.
Eric Daniel Wright, 39, Ronan, pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fourth or subsequent offense, a felony. Wright was released with a SCRAM alcohol-monitoring bracelet. An omnibus hearing was set for Wednesday, Jan. 11, and a jury trial was set for March 19. Both begin at 9 a.m. According to court documents, charges stem from an Oct. 11 incident when an off-duty Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy noticed a white SUV with a flat tire in her driveway. She believed the drive was intoxicated. When an on-duty officer arrived, he saw a white SUV with a blown-out tire driving backwards in the middle of the road. The officer contacted the driver, Wright, who smelled of alcohol but said he wasn’t doing anything wrong, and spoke to the passengers, who said they had been driving around drinking alcohol and had been driving with a flat tire for a while. A check of Wright’s driving record showed he had at least three prior DUI convictions.
Jimmy Graham, 53, Ronan, in a change of plea, admitted committing criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. Graham was found guilty and sentencing was set for Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 9 a.m. According to court documents, charges stem from a December 2010 incident where a tribal officer, on patrol in Ronan, observed Graham stop his vehicle near Town Pump and throw an object onto the ground. The officer retrieved the item, and discovered a pouch that contained a number of small plastic bags containing a white powder consistent with methamphetamine. Graham was arrested, and the substance was confirmed to be methamphetamine by the state crime lab.
Craig James Lafley, 22, Arlee, in a change of plea, admitted committing the amended offense of negligent endangerment, a misdemeanor. Lafley was found guilty and sentenced to one year in the Lake County Jail with all but 21 days suspended. Lafley will receive credit for time served while in custody. According to court documents, charges stem from an Aug. 24 incident where Lafley provided a large quantity of whiskey to a minor who consumed enough of the whiskey to register a .4 blood alcohol content and stop breathing.
Jesse James Finley, 22, Ronan, has his suspended sentence for partner or family member assault, third offense, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for four years. Finley also received a deferred sentence for four years for attempted sexual assault, a felony. The sentence is to run concurrently with Finely’s PFMA sentence, and he will receive credit for time served while in custody. As conditions, the court also requested that Finley complete the boot camp program; if he fails, it’s considered grounds for revocation of his deferred sentence. According to court documents, Finley violated several conditions of his probation and parole in June and July by moving residences without notifying his parole officer, traveling outside his assigned district, failing to maintain employment, slashing the tires on his ex-girlfriend’s car, using alcohol, failing to pay court fines, and failing to meet other conditions of his probation.
Mitzi L. Hamlin-King, 57, Polson, pleaded not guilty to criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony, and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor. An omnibus hearing was set for Wednesday, Jan. 11, and a jury trial was set for March 19. Both begin at 9 a.m. According to court documents, charges stem from an Oct. 26 incident where, in a probation search of Hamlin-King’s residence, probation and parole officers found methamphetamine and a razor blade, a snort tube and a spoon used for ingesting methamphetamine.
Travis Curtis Lozeau, 21, Ronan, in a change of plea, admitted committing theft, a felony. Lozeau was found guilty and sentencing was set for Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 9 a.m. According to court records, charges stem from several incidents between March 26 and April 11 where Lozeau allegedly was seen on surveillance video from Walmart and Harvest Foods using an ATM card that he was not authorized to use. The owner of the card had reported that it was stolen, and that her bank account in the amount of $2,335.25 was emptied without her authorization.
