Lake County District Court news for Feb. 29, 2012
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Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases Thursday, Feb. 16:
Francois Burke, 39, Pablo, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years, none suspended, for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fourth or subsequent offense, a felony.Burke will receive credit for time served while in custody.
According to court documents, charges stem from an April 2011 incident where an officer stopped Burke when he was driving in the middle of the road on Old Highway 93. There were also two small children not wearing seatbelts in the vehicle. Burke appeared intoxicated and a breath sample on site showed he had a blood alcohol concentration of .196 percent; a second breath test at the Lake County Jail registered .216 percent. Burke's driving record showed he had at least three prior DUI convictions.
Scott Koplin, 52, Stevensville, pleaded not guilty to burglary, a felony. An omnibus hearing was set for Thursday, April 12, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, May 21. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from a Feb. 7 incident where an employee at Pizza Hut in Polson reported a break-in at the restaurant. When an officer arrived, he found Koplin holding a crowbar and going through the cash register of the Pizza Hut restaurant. When the burglar walked out the front door, he was immediately arrested. Koplin told investigators he was homeless and struggling lately and thought he might get a little money from breaking into Pizza Hut, but also thought if he got caught, he might receive help for his alcohol problems. Koplin stated that he knew what he did was stupid, but he didn't know what else to do.
James Dempsey, 40, Polson, pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a felony. An omnibus hearing was set for Thursday, April 19, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, June 11. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from a Jan. 31 incident where an officer made a traffic stop because the driver, Dempsey, failed to use a turn signal. Dempsey had active warrants in tribal court and appeared intoxicated. He refused to perform sobriety tests, and after being taken to the Lake County Jail, an investigator obtained a warrant for a blood test, which was sent to the State Crime Lab. Dempsey admitted that he had been drinking alcohol and had also used methamphetamine earlier in the day. His driving record showed at least three prior DUI convictions and that his driver's license is suspended.
Keya Birdsbill, 34, Ronan, pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault with a weapon, both felonies. Birdsbill remains at liberty. An omnibus hearing was set for Thursday, April 19, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, June 11. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from a Jan. 30 incident where Birdsbill got in a fight with her boyfriend at his house. She hit him with a lamp, frying pan and metal sculpture as he dragged her out of the house, causing multiple cuts and abrasions on his head, hand, face and torso. Once she was out of the house, her boyfriend locked the door. Birdsbill then broke a window and climbed back inside, got a knife from the kitchen and and went to her boyfriend's bedroom. He approached her and she hit him with the knife. Then he retreated to the bathroom and called police.
Tamaria Ely, 62, Ronan, pleaded not guilty to criminal possession with intent to distribute. An omnibus hearing was set for Thursday, April 19, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, June 11. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from a June 2011 incident where in a probation search of Ely's home, her probation officer found a container with eight separate 1/2-gram bindles of methamphetamine and $800 in cash. Ely admitted that the bindles contained methamphetamine and said she was holding the $800 for a friend but wouldn't tell who the friend was and that she “would take the charges for it.”
Rebecca Gunhammer, 37, Ronan, pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault on a peace officer, both felonies. An omnibus hearing was set for Thursday, April 12, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, May 21. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from a Feb. 2 incident where Lake County Sheriff's Deputies responded to a report of a female pedestrian stumbling into the traffic lane on U.S. Highway 93. Gunhammer was located walking along the highway, and when a deputy approached her, she became combative. When two other officers arrived, Gunhammer tried to run into the highway. The officers grabbed her and she began kicking and biting the officers. During the scuffle, Gunhammer bit and caused injury to two officers.
In a separate case, Gunhammer pleaded not guilty to two counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, both felonies. An omnibus hearing was set for Thursday, April 12, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, May 21. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from May 2011 incident where a tribal officer arrested Gunhammer for disorderly conduct and found a small rock of suspected methamphetamine, a syringe and a pill crusher with white powder in it in Gunhammer's purse. An analysis at the State Crime Lab showed the rock was methamphetamine, and the syringe contained clonazepam, a scheduled drug.
Ashley Justice, 22, Tense, Idaho, received a three-year deferred sentence for criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. Justice will serve 30 days in the Lake County Jail and must successfully complete a chemical treatment program if recommended by the Department of Corrections. Judge C.B. McNeil dealt with the following case Wednesday, Feb. 22:
Misty Dawn Truitt, 36, Polson, had her 2009 deferred sentence for forgery, common scheme, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years, all suspended. She will receive credit for time served while in custody. According to court documents, Truitt violated her probation by changing her residence without permission from her probation officer, failing to maintain employment, failing to report to her probation officer as ordered, consuming alcohol on several occasions, pleading guilty to disorderly conduct in Polson City Court in October 2009, failing to pay court-ordered supervision fees, restitution and fines, and failing to complete a chemical dependency evaluation.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases Thursday, Feb. 23:
Roger Pablo Jr., 30, St. Ignatius, pleaded not guilty to two counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, both felonies. Pablo remains at liberty. An omnibus hearing was set for Thursday, April 12, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, May 21. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from an April 2011 incident where an officer stopped Pablo for careless driving. Pablo appeared to be under the influence of drugs and admitted he had smoked methamphetamine three days earlier. Officers also found marijuana in the vehicle. Pablo was on probation for a felony, and his probation officer authorized a search of his house. There officers found numerous items of drug paraphernalia, including several pipes containing methamphetamine residue and a hydrocodone pill, a controlled substance.
Xavier Streets pleaded not guilty to burglary, a felony. An omnibus hearing was set for Thursday, April 19, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, June 11. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from an October 2011 incident where a woman reported that between Oct. 12-15, 2011, someone took a laptop computer and a Stihl chainsaw from the garage adjacent to her house. On Oct. 24, an officer spoke with a woman who had purchased a computer from Streets.
The computer was identified by serial number as the stolen computer, and Streets said he had bought the computer from his cousin. Streets also later admitted he and his cousin had entered the garage and stolen a chainsaw, which they hid outside in the bushes to be retrieved later. During the burglary, Street's cousin said this was the same place he had stolen the laptop computer.
Brandon Torgenrud, 28, Polson, pleaded not guilty to two counts of burglary, both felonies. Torgenrud remains at liberty. An omnibus hearing was set for Thursday, April 12, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, May 21. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from a Jan. 3 incident where a man reported someone had broken into his truck and taken a CD player, fishing poles, radar detector, air pump and the keys to two storage units at Cramelot Storage in Polson.
Soon after, the owner of Cramelot Storage reported that someone had opened the maintenance storage units and taken several tools. On Jan. 5, officers located several of the stolen items, which had been pawned by Brandon Torgenrud at the Jolly Packrat and Depoe Junction, pawn shops in Polson. Torgenrud later admitted stealing tools from the maintenance units.
