Lake County District Court news for Mar. 21, 2012
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Judge C.B. McNeil dealt with the following cases Wednesday, March 14:
Christopher Morigeau, 34, Ronan, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years, all suspended but 45 days, for the amended offense of partner or family member assault, a felony. He will receive credit for time served.
According to court documents, charges stem from an August 2011 incident where police were called to a residence on a domestic dispute. Morigeau allegedly had been drinking and striking his wife with his fists, and then hit her repeatedly with a crutch. When a witness intervened, Morigeau allegedly punched holes in the wall with the crutch. The crutch was seized as evidence.
Anna Williams, 49, Polson, pleaded not guilty to issuing a bad check, common scheme, a felony. An omnibus hearing was set for Wednesday, May 23, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, July 16. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from incidences between June 2010 and May 2011 when Williams allegedly wrote around 16 checks on three closed checking accounts to five different Lake County businesses. The Lake County Attorney’s Office sent written notice of nonpayment to Williams, but she failed to make arrangements for repayment.
Daniel Durglo, 25, St. Ignatius, in a change of plea, admitted to criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. He was found guilty, and sentencing was set for Wednesday, April 18, at 9 a.m. Durglo was released from the Lake County Jail as he was supposed to serve 30 days and had been in jail since the end of January.
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.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases Thursday, March 15:
Eric Templeton, 25, Ronan, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for three years, all suspended, for criminal endangerment, a felony. As a condition, Templeton must complete Treasure State Boot Camp within six months.
According to court documents, charges stem from an Oct. 11 incident where Templeton drove over 100 mph through Pablo while fleeing from a Montana Highway Patrol Trooper. Templeton was allegedly changing lanes without signaling, passing vehicles by driving on the shoulder, drove over a dirt embankment at 65 mph, traveled 80 to 90 mph through a 35 mph zone and eventually crashed at an intersection.
David Boucher, 47, Polson, had his suspended sentence revoked and was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years, all suspended, for criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony, and five years, three suspended, for burglary, a felony.
According to court documents, the burglary charge stems from a September 2011 incident where Polson Police responded to a report that a chop saw and air compressor that had been left in a church kitchen were missing. The glass from a nearby window had been popped out and was lying on the ground. The pastor spoke to Boucher, a transient who been staying in a shed near the church’s property. Boucher told the pastor that the saw had been pawned at Depoe Junction. The saw was then identified as the stolen one.
Then around Sept. 19, the owner of the shed where Boucher was living said Boucher had asked him to pawn some items, including an emergency kit and hand tools. Boucher was later located in Riverside Park and he admitted he’d taken the items from the church, and that he had broken into a vehicle at Riverside Park and stolen an emergency kit and hand tools. A day later, Boucher said he went back to the vehicle and slashed the tires with his pocketknife.
The drug possession charge also stems from a September 2011 incident where Polson Police responded to a report of harassment at Riverside Park in Polson. A man pointed out three males and a female sitting on the hill and said the female had been yelling at him and his friends to give her a hot dog. The officers contacted the group, which included Boucher, and all the individuals were drinking beer. One of the officers was aware Boucher had recently been released from prison, and asked if Boucher had any weapons on him. Boucher said he had a razor in his pocket and told the officer he could remove it from Boucher’s pocket. The officer pulled out a razor, a plastic bag with a paper towel in it and a pill bottle with the label removed. Boucher stated the pill bottle contained clonazepam, a controlled substance, for which he did not have a prescription.
Jerry Edward Dickson, 27, Polson, pleaded not guilty to criminal production or manufacture of dangerous drugs, a felony, and criminal possession with intent to distribute, a felony. An omnibus hearing was set for Thursday, May 24, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, June 25. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, on Feb. 1, an informant provided information to the Northwest Drug Task Force that Dickson was growing marijuana plants in his garage. Officer Arlen Auld obtained a search warrant and searched Dickson’s garage on Feb. 7. Officers confiscated more than 50 plants, high power lights on timers, fertilizers, ventilation equipment, and several large bags of dried marijuana buds weighing more than a pound. Officers also located a digital scale, several boxes of plastic baggies, a pistol and a notebook that appeared to be a ledger. Dickson was arrested, and on the way to the jail, stated that he used to be legal and that he used to have enough patients for the plants he grew. He also said he knew he should have stopped growing marijuana since he was no longer registered as a caregiver.
Ronald Hout, 41, Charlo, had his 2003 suspended sentences for criminal endangerment, a felony, and operation of a clandestine lab, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for six years. Hout will receive credit for 495 days served.
According to court documents, Hout violated his probation and parole several times in February 2012 when he tested positive for marijuana, refused a breathalyzer test from his probation officer, consumed alcohol, and associated with someone registered as a violent offender.
Johnny Shawn Charlo, 35, Arlee, in a change of plea, admitted to sexual assault, a felony. He was found guilty, and sentenced was set for Thursday, April 19, at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from a July 2011 incident where a woman reported to Tribal Police that Charlo had sexually assaulted her daughter, a 12-year-old girl. A Tribal Officer and a Polson Police Officer went to the woman’s residence and interviewed the girl and her mother. The girl stated that she had been sleeping on a mattress on the floor when she woke up around 5 a.m. to see Charlo lying beside her. She said Charlo then touched her inappropriately in her private area, and she ran upstairs and told her older sister what had happened. The sister found Charlo on the younger girl’s bed, hit him in the face and told him to leave; he refused. Both girls said Charlo’s pants were around his ankles and described the boxer shorts he was wearing.
In an interview, Charlo stated he did not remember anything about the incident and had had about 10 mixed double drinks that night. In a search of Charlo’s residence, a Lake County Sheriff’s Detective found a pair of boxer shorts matching a description given to police by the 12-year-old girl and her older sister.
Scott Koplin, 52, Stevensville, in a change of plea, admitted to burglary, a felony. He was found guilty, and sentencing was set for Thursday, April 19, 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.
