Lake County District Court news for Aug. 1, 2012
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Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases Thursday, July 19:
Joseph Cahoon, 52, Pablo, had his 2011 suspended sentence for criminal endangerment, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for three years.
According to court documents, Cahoon violated his probation when he was cited for driving with a suspended license, no insurance and expired registration and by consuming alcohol on more than one occasion.
Rebecca Gunhammer, 36, St. Ignatius, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years for criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony, and five years, all suspended, on a second count of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, to run concurrent to the first sentence.
According to court documents, charges stem from May 2011 incident where a tribal officer arrested Gunhammer for disorderly conduct and found a small rock of suspected methamphetamine,a a syringe and a pill crusher with white powder in it in Gunhammer’s purse. An analysis at the State Crime Lab showed the rock was methamphetamine, and the syringe contained clonazepam, a scheduled drug.
In a separate case, Gunhammer was sentenced to Montana Women’s Prison for 10 years, all suspended, for each of two counts of assault on a peace officer, both felonies.
According to court documents, charges stem from a Feb. 2 incident where Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of a female pedestrian stumbling into the traffic lane on U.S. Highway 93. Gunhammer was located walking along the highway, and when a deputy approached her, she became combative. When two other officers arrived, Gunhammer tried to run into the highway. The officers grabbed her and she began kicking and biting the officers. During the scuffle, Gunhammer bit and caused injury to two officers.
Jerry Dickson, 28, Polson, had sentencing suspended for six years for criminal possession with intent to distribute, a felony. He was also sentenced to the Lake County Jail for 30 days, which will be satisfied if he enters and successfully completes an inpatient chemical dependency treatment program.
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.
Judge C.B. McNeil dealt with the following cases Wednesday, July 25:
Marvin Camel Jr., 32, Ronan, was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years, all suspended but time served, for the amended offense of assault on a minor, a felony.
According to court documents, charges stem from a May 2011 incident where tribal police were called to a Charlo residence. The woman said Camel was riding in the backseat of her car with her 5-year-old son when Camel began to play “very roughly” with the child, holding the child’s hands and hitting the child’s head against the window. She said Camel put his hands around the boy’s neck and was choking him. The boy was struggling to breathe and gasping for air, according to the mother. She begged Camel to stop but she said he called the child names and then bit the child’s arm. The officer observed scratch marks on the boy’s neck and a bite mark on his arm.
In a separate case, Camel had sentencing suspended for two years for the amended offense of sexual assault, a felony.
According to court documents, charges stem from an incident in January 2010 when a Lake County Sheriff’s Detective responded to Ronan’s St. Luke Hospital when a patient stated that she had been raped by Marvin Camel. She told the detective that she was at the Pablo Bar with a friend and that they had gotten a ride from Camel with the intention of going to a party. An argument ensued about them being lost, and Camel took the woman’s friend home and started to drive the woman home. Camel stopped on a dark, secluded road and allegedly sexually assaulted her. She kept telling him that she was scared and was able to flee from the vehicle into a snowy field. Camel eventually drove off and the woman then called the police at a nearby residence.
A tribal officer responded to the residence. Camel was arrested and agreed to a swab during booking. He stated that “nothing happened.” The swab from the sexual assault examination were submitted to the Forensic Science Division of the Department of Justice and analyzed for DNA. The analysis of the swab determined that the woman’s DNA was present.
Randall Stevens, 18, Ronan, pleaded not guilty to burglary, a felony. An omnibus hearing was set for Wednesday, Sept. 26, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, Nov. 19. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from a June 18 incident where Stevens and an accomplice are shown on a security tape at the Second Chance Saloon in Ronan rifling through the liquor at the bar and selecting bottles. Both Stevens and his accomplice admitted to breaking into the bar through the window and stealing liquor. The value of the stolen liquor was $275.75, and the damage to the window was $20.
Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases Thursday, July 26:
Ghlee Blickenstaff, 24, Polson, had his 2010 suspended sentences for criminal endangerment, a felony, partner or family member assault, a misdemeanor, and cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor, revoked and was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for five years, three suspended.
According to court documents, Blickenstaff violated his probation by changing residences without notifying his probation officer, traveling out of his probation district without permission, failing to report to his probation officer as directed, and failing to complete a batterer’s intervention program as ordered by the court.
Eric Templeton, 25, Ronan, had his March 2012 suspended sentence for criminal endangerment, a felony, revoked and was sentenced to the Department of Corrections for three years.
According to court documents, Templeton violated his probation by drinking alcohol. He requested that his suspended sentence be revoked so he could receive in-patient treatment and a pre-release program.
Freddrick Whitlock, 41, Polson, pleaded not guilty to assault with a weapon, a felony, partner or family member assault, a misdemeanor, and unlawful restraint, a misdemeanor. An omnibus hearing was set for Thursday, Aug. 30, and a jury trial set to begin Monday, Oct. 29. Both begin at 9 a.m.
According to court documents, charges stem from a July 2011 incident where Whitlock allegedly choked a woman, his partner, and wouldn’t let her leave the house. He also threatened her with a knife and told her he would kill her if she tried to leave. Marks on the victim’s neck and other injuries were consistent with her story of the struggle.
