Hammer sentenced for strangulation
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POLSON — A Polson man was committed at District Court in Polson on Jan. 5 to a total of 11 years with the Montana Department of Corrections with 6 years suspended. Patrick Lee Hammer, Jr., 26, pleaded guilty during an earlier court appearance to felony charges of strangulation of a partner or family member, criminal possession with intent to distribute and bail jumping. The plea was entered as part of a global plea agreement that dismisses two counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and resolves five total cases involving five separate criminal charges.
According to court records, on July 26, 2021, Hammer picked his girlfriend up by grabbing her around the throat. The bail jumping charge is for missing a court appearance on one of the drug possession charges that was dismissed. On the criminal possession with intent to distribute charge, Hammer admitted to dealing fentanyl. According to the charging documents, on Oct. 4 Hammer was the subject of a traffic stop. A search of his vehicle turned up $700 in cash in a wallet, $1,247 cash in his front pocket and five halved and one full blue fentanyl pill. Law enforcement also located a notebook with drug related information in it and a mobile device that contained texts referring to drug sales. When questioned, Hammer admitted that he had recently traveled to Spokane and brought back 200 blue pills. He said he picked up another 150 pills for distribution in Lake County on Oct. 3. He told the arresting officer that he buys the pills for $15 in Spokane and sells them for $20 in Lake County.
The Lake County jail roster shows Hammer has already served 94 days in jail as of the Jan. 5 sentencing date.
