Lake County District Court news for Nov. 30, 2011
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Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases Thursday, Nov. 17:
Montanna Smith, 19, Whitefish, was sentenced to five years, with two suspended, in the Department of Corrections for criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. Smith is to be placed in an appropriate inpatient drug treatment facility followed by a pre-release program, and the court recommended that Smith be placed in Great Falls.
According to court documents, Smith was interviewed on Oct. 8 regarding a suspected theft from a local diner. She told the Polson Police detective that she had “Molly” (MDMA) in her backpack, which is listed as a Schedule I dangerous drug. The detective also found several baggies of suspected drugs, a marijuana pipe and other drug-related items. Smith acknowledged that these were her drugs and she knew they were illegal to possess. She then requested help getting treatment and that she wanted to take responsibility for her actions.
Jennah Siegfried, 21, Polson, admitted to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a misdemeanor, and criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. She was found guilty and sentencing was set for Thursday, Dec. 8, at 9 a.m. Siegfried remained in custody on a $25,000 bond.
According to court documents, charges stem from an Oct. 19 incident where Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of a suspected intoxicated woman with a small child at Pablo IGA. When deputies arrived, Siegfried appeared fidgety, and video from the store’s security camera showed her stumbling around and behaving oddly. A bottle of hydrocodone pills was found in her car, and Siegfried told officers she had smoked a marijuana joint, snorted a hydrocodone pill and taken a Xanax before driving to the store with the 4-year-old child.
Analisa Unger, 31, Henderson, Nev., pleaded not guilty to criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony, theft, a felony, and money laundering, a felony. Bond was reduced to $20,000 with the stipulation that Unger is not to leave Lake County. An omnibus hearing was set for Thursday, Jan. 12, and a jury trial was set to begin Monday, Feb. 27. Both begin at 9 a.m. According to court documents, charges stem from an Oct. 30 incident where Unger allegedly fell asleep driving and crashed a stolen pickup pulling a cargo trailer on Highway 93. Unger left the scene of the crash and was found walking along the road. She had a bottle of oxycodone pills in her purse, and told officers she knew the pickup, the trailer — which contained a laser concrete screed worth more than $50,000 —and its contents were stolen, and she was helping a friend transport the items to Montana to trade them for drugs and money.
Ronald Romas, 46, Arlee, in a change of plea, admitted committing criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. He was found guilty, and sentencing was set for Thursday, Dec. 22, at 9 a.m. According to court documents, charges stem from two incidents in January and February 2008 where an informant twice purchased methadone pills from Romas in Arlee. Both time the informant was wearing a concealed recording device and reporting back to an agent from the Northwest Drug Task Force.
Randy Santos, 36, Arlee, was sentenced to five years, all suspended but 90 days, in the Department of Corrections. The 90 days jail time must be served in the Lake County Jail within six months of sentencing, but if Santos successfully completes a 30-day inpatient chemical dependency and/or mental health treatment program, the 90 days jail time will be satisfied. Santos will received credit for time served.
According to court documents, charges stem from an April 20 incident where a tribal officer responded to a report of an assault with a baseball bat near Arlee. The officer observed the victim sitting in a broken chair with a bloody towel around his hand and a puddle of blood on the floor. The victim had a cut on his right hand and bruising on his arms. The victim told the officers that a woman’s brother, later identified as Santos, had beaten him up for raping Santos’ sister, but the victim told police that he did not rape her.
Police later located Santos in a van and a baseball bat inside the van. The sister was also at the scene and told police that two weeks prior, the victim had raped her but she did not remember details and did not report it because she did not wish to pursue charges against the victim. She said she told Santos about the rape and then Santos went and beat the victim with the baseball bat. Police took Santos to the victim’s house, where the victim visually identified Santos as the person who struck him with the baseball bat. The victim also identified the bat.
Allen Ray, 65, Pablo, had his 2010 suspended sentence for theft, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to three years in the Department of Corrections. The court recommended that Ray be screened for mental health evaluation and be considered for appropriate placement.
According to court documents, Ray admitted to violating conditions of his probation and parole by bringing a pocket knife and box cutter to his first meeting with his probation officer the day after he was released from the Montana State Prison.
William Martin, 40, Polson, had his May 2011 deferred sentences for assault on a minor, a felony, and partner family member assault, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to two years in the Department of Corrections on the first count and three years, all suspended, on the second count. The sentences are to run consecutively, and Martin was recommended for Connections Corrections and pre-release. Martin is also to have no unwanted contact with his minor victim.
According to court documents, Martin admitting violating conditions of his probation and parole by consuming alcohol on at least two occasions in June and October.
Vernon Tenas, 43, Elmo, received a deferred sentence for criminal production or manufacture of dangerous drugs, a felony. As conditions, Tenas is to serve 20 days in the Lake County Jail; the jail time may be served on house arrest. If Tenas successfully completes an inpatient CD treatment program, the jail sentence will be satisfied. He will also receive credit for time served.
According to court documents, charges stem from a Feb. 23 incident where U.S. Marshalls, assisted by tribal police, attempted to serve an arrest warrant in a home. Inside they found marijuana plants, grow lights, and paraphernalia used for smoking marijuana.
Judge C.B. McNeil dealt with the following cases Wednesday, Nov. 23:
Tashina Carpenter, 22, St. Ignatius, had her May 2011 suspended sentence for aggravated assault, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to 10 years, five suspended, in the Department of Corrections. The court recommended Carpenter be screened for Passages, ADT and pre-release.
According to court documents, Carpenter admitted violating conditions of her probation and parole by failing to complete job searches as requested, being late and missing several meetings with her probation officer, testing positive for THC (the active chemical in marijuana) and methamphetamine and failing to attend a chemical dependency evaluation.
Joseph Antiste, 50, Polson, in a change of plea, admitting driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fourth or subsequent offense, a felony. He was found guilty, and sentencing was set for Wednesday, Jan. 11, at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from a July 31 incident where Lake County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call from a woman who said her husband was trying to throw her from a vehicle. The Ford Explorer was located on Highway 93 near Big Arm, and Antiste emerged from the driver’s seat when pulled over. The officer noted the smell of alcohol on Antiste’s breath and that he was swaying. When Antiste admitted he had been drinking, he was taken to the Lake County Detention Center where a breath sample registered .183 percent.
Jascha Lindesmith, 33, Pablo, in a change of plea, admitted committing the amended offense of two counts of violation of a protection order, both misdemeanors. Lindesmith was sentenced to six months, all suspended but 11 days, in the Lake County Jail on each of the two counts. The sentences are to run consecutively, and Lindesmith is to receive credit for 22 days served.
According to court documents, charges stem from incidences from Sept. 12-28 where Lindesmith allegedly violated an order of protection by harassing and intimidating a woman. Under the order of protection, Lindesmith was supposed to stay 500 feet away from the victim and her residence and not communicate with or harass the victim. According to court documents, Lindesmith allegedly posted a three-page letter detailing numerous personal grievances with the victim at her former place of work, on several occasions came within 500 feet of her residence, and accessed and deleted the victim’s personal e-mail account.
David Gonzales, 35, Billings, was sentenced to five years, two suspended, in the Department of Corrections for the amended offense of partner family member assault, a felony.
According to court documents, charges stem from an Oct. 11 incident where Gonzales’ girlfriend approached a Lake County Deputy in the parking lot of the tribal complex. Her face was red and she was crying. She told the deputy that she had just been assaulted, and that Gonzales had hit her in the face and caused her nose to bleed. Gonzales was on the footbridge and told the deputy that he gets irritated when his girlfriend wants him to spend all his time with her. The deputy noted a strong odor of alcoholic beverage on Gonzales’ breath. Gonzales has two prior convictions for partner or family member assault.
