Lake County District Court news for May 2, 2012
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Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases Thursday, April 19:
Jeremiah Spotted Blanket, 27, Arlee, pleaded not guilty to assault with a weapon, a felony. An omnibus hearing was set for Thursday, May 24, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, July 9. Both begin at 9 a.m. According to court documents, charges stem from an April 1 incident where Spotted Blanket asked a woman for a ride in Ronan and she refused. He offered to pay her with drugs but she still refused. Spotted Blanket then pulled out a 12-gauge shotgun from under his sweatshirt, racked and loaded it and pointed the gun at the woman, telling her it was a 12-gauge. She was afraid of being shot and seriously injured. Spotted Blanket left on foot, concealing the shotgun under his sweatshirt.
Scott Koplin, 52, Stevensville, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for eight years, four suspended, for burglary, a felony. 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. Judge C.B. McNeil dealt with the following cases Wednesday, April 25:
Daniel Durglo, 25, St. Ignatius, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years, all suspended but 30 days, for criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. He will receive credit for time already served, resulting in no additional jail time. According to court documents, charges stem from a June 2011 incident where a Montana Highway Patrol Trooper stopped Durglo for speeding and not wearing a seatbelt. The vehicle smelled like marijuana, and Durglo said he was smoking a joint in the car. Durglo signed a search permission form, and the trooper searched the vehicle and found a metal spoon with white residue on it, unused hypodermic needles, a joint, and a pill bottle containing two small amounts of what appeared to be methamphetamine wrapped in plastic, as well as a Band-Aid box containing more methamphetamine and a bag of marijuana. Durglo said all the items were his and that the white substance was “meth.” A loaded .45-caliber pistol was also found under the driver's seat.
Dennis Gillingham, 70, Arlee, was sentenced to 30 days house arrest and 15 years in the Montana State Prison, all suspended, for the amended offense of sexual assault, a felony. As conditions of his plea agreement, Gillingham must pay $300 per month in restitution plus $10,100. According to court documents, charges stem from more than 30 incidences from 1998 to 2007 when Gillingham had sexual contact with an underage female relative while he babysat her. Gillingham allegedly tied the girl to a stump, which she described and investigators found in Gillingham's house, more than 30 times so he could sexually assault her, and forced her to perform oral sex on him “a lot more times” than he tied her up. The girl recently told her parents, and items found in Gillingham’s possession were consistent with her recollection of events.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases Thursday, April 26:
Tamaria Ely, 62, Ronan, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for 10 years, all suspended, for criminal possession with intent to distribute, a felony. 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.”
Daphne Mitchell, 37, Polson, had her 2008 suspended sentence for criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to Montana Women's Prison for four years. According to court documents, Mitchell violated her probation since January 2011 by being dishonest with her probation officer about her participation in chemical dependency aftercare, testing positive for methamphetamine and failing to pay court-ordered supervision fees and other fines.
