Lake County District Court news for Dec. 7, 2011
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Judge C.B. McNeil dealt with the following case Wednesday, Nov. 30:
Keely Thomas McDonald, 32, Polson, had his 2004 suspended sentences for negligent homicide, a felony, and negligent vehicular assault, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to Montana State Prison for 15 years, five suspended. McDonald will receive credit for time served.
According to court documents, McDonald admitted violating conditions of his probation and parole by traveling across the state without permission. McDonald also allegedly failed to maintain employment, failed to report to his probation officer as ordered and was arrested while driving a vehicle bearing another vehicle’s license plates.
Arnold McDonald, 52, St. Ignatius, pleaded not guilty to assault with a weapon, a felony, tampering with witnesses and informants, a felony, and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, a felony. An omnibus hearing was set for Wednesday, Feb. 1, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, April 2. Both begin at 9 a.m. McDonald remains at liberty.
According to court documents, charges stem from an Oct. 29 incident where officers responded to a possible domestic assault, and the alleged victim said McDonald had held a gun to her head. In a search of the house, officers found a rifle hidden in a crawl space under the house. When McDonald realized the victim had called police, he apologized to her and told her to tell police that he had pointed a stick at her head, as he wasn’t supposed to have a gun. McDonald admitted that he hid the rifle.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases Thursday, Dec. 1:
Clarence Brien, 33, Ashland, had his 2007 suspended sentence for sexual intercourse without consent, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for 13 years, 10 suspended. Brien is not eligible for parole until he completes Phase One of the sexual offender treatment program.
According to court documents, Brien admitted to violating conditions of his probation and parole when he was arrested for intoxication on the Cheyenne Reservation in July. Brien also allegedly violated his probation by failing to participate in a behavioral modification program and failing to complete sexual offender treatment.
Kenneth Brien, 30, Ashland, had his 2007 suspended sentence for sexual intercourse without consent, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for 13 years, 10 suspended. Brien is not eligible for parole until he completes Phase One of the sexual offender treatment program.
According to court documents, Brien admitted to violating conditions of his probation and parole when he was arrested for intoxication on the Cheyenne Reservation in October. Brien also allegedly violated his probation by failing to participate in a behavioral modification program and failing to complete sexual offender treatment.
Michael Ann Mahseelah, 23, Billings, had her 2006 suspended sentences for assault on a peace officer, a felony, and assault with a weapon, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for 10 years, all suspended, on the first count, and 15 years, 10 suspended, on the second count. The sentences are to run consecutively. The court recommended that Mahseelah be screened for placement that will deal with her mental health rather than placement at the Montana Women’s Prison.
According to court documents, Mahseelah admitted to violating conditions of her probation and parole by missing appointments with her probation officer, attempting suicide, cutting herself, failing to check in to a women’s shelter as instructed by her probation officer, and refusing to leave the women’s shelter when asked. Mahseelah also allegedly failed to pay court-ordered restitution and did not submit to alcohol and drug testing as ordered.
Janice Ness, 47, Seattle, Wash., pleaded not guilty to criminal possession with intent to distribute, a felony, and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, a felony. Ness remained in custody on a $100,000 bond, and the court reserved the right to raise bond at a later date. 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 a Nov. 8 incident where Ness was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over for a traffic stop. Ness allegedly had with her four separate bags containing a total of 31 grams of methamphetamine, six .5-gram bindles (small paper packages) of methamphetamine, a digital scale, a box of sandwich baggies and a list of names and phone numbers. While officers searched the vehicle, Ness allegedly destroyed her cell phone so it could not be used as evidence.
Tiffany Jore, 24, Ronan, pleaded not guilty to criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony, and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor. An omnibus hearing was set for Thursday, Feb. 2, and a jury trial was set to begin Monday, March 12.
According to court documents, charges stem from a Nov. 17 incident where during a traffic stop, officers allegedly found a light bulb modified into a makeshift methamphetamine pipe containing methamphetamine residue in Jore’s bag.
Donna Lamere, 54, Polson, in a change of plea, admitted to the amended offense of criminal possession with intent to distribute, a felony. She was found guilty, and sentencing was set for Thursday, Jan. 12, at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, the charge stems from a Sept. 15 incident where a Polson Police Officer made a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 93 in Arlee. Lamere was a passenger in the vehicle. A Tribal Officer arrived on scene and recognized Lamere from a prior drug investigation. The driver consented to a search of the vehicle, and the Tribal Officer searched the car. In the back seat, he found a purse that Lamere stated she would "take the blame for." The officer found a small piece of paper folded into a "bindle" used for packaging drugs for resale and a small glass pipe used for smoking methamphetamine. He also found a modified Capri Sun drink pouch containing a baggie with 19 more bindles and another baggie with approximately 7 grams of what he believed to be methamphetamine. A digital scale with white residue on it was also inside the purse.
Lisa Francis, 49, Clinton, in a change of plea, admitted to the amended offense of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a misdemeanor, and criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. She was found guilty, and sentencing was set for Thursday, Jan. 12, at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from a February 2008 incident where an informant contacted an agent from the Northwest Drug Task Force and told the agent that the informant could purchase methamphetamine and cocaine from Francis. The informant said Fisher lived in Missoula but traveled to Lake County to sell drugs to the informant. Several text messages from Francis to the informant appeared be related to drug sales. Then in March 2008, the informant agreed to wear a transmitter and meet Francis in Arlee, where the agent heard her say, “Here’s your present.” The informant returned to the agent with a black gift bag with marijuana and methamphetamine. The State crime lab analyzed the substances and confirmed that they were indeed marijuana and methamphetamine.
