Man breaks in to church, takes food
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A Polson man is accused of breaking into a Polson church and barricading himself in the pastor’s office until he was physically removed by law enforcement. Dustin Lee Seyler, 42, entered a plea of not guilty at District Court in Polson on May 27 to felony burglary.
According to court records, on May 1, Polson police responded to a motion alarm at an area church. At the scene, officers observed the windows deliberately obscured from the inside. Officers shined a flashlight into the church, which prompted a man inside to retreat farther into the church.
A team of officers entered the church and noticed a ceiling tile torn down along with a motion detector and damage to a door keypad. Drawers were left open and items were strewn about. Seyler was found barricaded in the pastor’s office refusing to leave. A sledgehammer was used to gain access to the pastor’s office.
Seyler had to be pulled out from under the pastor’s desk. He later admitted to entering the church without permission and taking food. He also admitted to taking other items and damaging a motion-sensing alarm.
He told the officers that he didn’t comply with their demands because he thought they would go away. He also said that he didn’t want to go to jail as he knew he was on probation. Records show Seyler was convicted of possessing drugs in February of 2020. In that matter, he was the subject of a trespassing call and held at gunpoint by the property owner until law enforcement arrived, and he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine.
Judge Deborah “Kim” Christopher set a trial date of Jan. 24. Seyler was in the Lake County jail as of May 27.
