BUSBY – A standoff that followed a shooting and pursuit in Busby overnight ended with the arrest of several suspects, the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.

The incident began with a shooting in Busby sometime before 10 p.m. Wednesday.

The Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office reported one person was injured in the shooting, but the extent of that person’s injuries are unclear.

Law enforcement from the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene, which lead to a pursuit.

The pursuit took authorities to a home about three to four miles west of Busby, according to the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office.

The FBI said Thursday that two individuals barricaded themselves in the home.

The Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office tactical team received a call for assistance around 10 p.m.

The tactical team deployed gas and OC — or pepper spray — and forced the suspects out of the house early Thursday morning.

The Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office initially reported that six people were detained, but later said four people — two males and two females — were taken into custody.

BIA officers were also involved and the FBI is investigating.

The Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office said no law enforcement fired a weapon.

The Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately return calls for information.

The FBI said there is no threat to the public.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.

Reporting by Aja Goare for MTN News

MISSOULA – One of two suspects accused of fleeing from police on Monday at speeds over 85 miles per hour, through red lights and into oncoming traffic, appeared in Missoula County Justice Court on Wednesday afternoon.

39-year-old Joseph Wayne Waters of Billings is being held on seven charges stemming from the incident, including several felonies. He also has a warrant for failing to appear out of Yellowstone County.

Those charges include two counts of felony criminal endangerment, felony carrying a concealed firearm and felony drug possession of methamphetamine, among other misdemeanors.

Waters is a registered violent offender who prosecutors say is a flight risk.

Prosecutors say the incident began Monday evening when a Missoula Police officer responded to a report of possible drug activity on the 2000 block of South 7th Street W. They say Waters left the scene, eventually reaching high speeds heading southbound down Russell Street.

According to prosecutors, the vehicle turned into the Albertson’s parking lot near the intersection with Brooks Street where Waters and an adult female jumped out the moving vehicle.

A foot chase ensued with Waters running through Albertson’s before being arrested in the store.

He appeared before Judge Landee Holloway who set his bond at $100,000. His next appearance is scheduled for April 18.

BILLINGS – Joseph Alan Nyhart, a 35-year-old resident of Livingston, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison followed by 3 years supervised release after pleading guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of firearms in December.

U.S. District Judge Susan Watters handed down the sentence.

In May 2016, Nyhart and his co-defendant Austin Gottfried Schwarz, both prohibited from possessing firearms, were arrested after a lengthy, high-speed chase with law enforcement.

Nyhart was the passenger.

It was immediately obvious to the officers that both were under the influence of a drug.

The officers seized two loaded rifles from the stolen truck.

The officers determined that either Nyhart or Schwarz loaded the rifles after they stole the truck.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Godfrey and Paulette Stewart and investigated by the Missouri River Drug Task Force, Montana Probation and Parole, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Park County Sheriff’s Office, Stillwater Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol, and Columbus Police Department.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement to identify those responsible for significant violent crime in Montana.

A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a recently reinvigorated Department of Justice program that has proven to be successful in reducing violent crime.

Today’s sentencing is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program.

Reporting by PJ Shea for MTN News

One of the two men who chained themselves to a cement barrel outside of the Stephens Creek bison capture facility in Yellowstone National Park was sentenced in Yellowstone Federal Court on Wednesday.

According to a media release from the Buffalo Field Campaign, the man who goes by “Wolf” was sentenced to three years of unsupervised probation and $1,000 in fines, and he is banned from YNP for three years.

The Buffalo Field Campaign said Wolf is the fifth person to be arrested in less than a month for trying to stop YNP from shipping bison to slaughter.

Previous:
Protesters arrested in Yellowstone enter pleas – one guilty, one not guilty
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GREAT FALLS – Kayla Gruce, a former U.S. Postal Service employee in Pondera County, has been charged in federal court with two felonies.

KRTV has confirmed that Gruce was a USPS employee, but no longer works for the agency.

Court documents allege that starting in June 2017 and continuing until about September 26, 2017, Gruce did “knowingly steal, abstract, and remove from any letter, postal card, package, bag, and mail, which came into her possession and intended to be conveyed by mail, any article or thing contained therein.

Court documents also allege that during that time, Gruce “did knowingly and unlawfully destroy letters and post cards entrusted to her and which came into her possession, and were intended to be conveyed by mail.”

Gruce is charged with theft of mail by officer or employee, and destruction of mail, both of which are federal felonies.

GREAT FALLS – A former Great Falls Police Department detective is about to tell his story to the world and what he has to say may seem unbelievable.

John Cameron teamed up with the Paramount Network for a six-part documentary series, which questions some of the most notorious murders in history.

A 24-year veteran of the Great Falls Police Department, Cameron wrote a book detailing the crimes of serial killer Ed Edwards, a man Cameron said is behind some of the most high-profile murders of the 20th century.

“The fact is he’s the Zodiac Killer,” said Cameron. “And he survived for 66 years killing and framing people and that’s what the Zodiac said in his letters he was doing all along.”

When Cameron suggested Edwards framed Stephen Avery for killing Teresa Halbach, the basis for the Netflix hit series “Making a Murderer,” Wayne Wolfe, the grandson of Edwards and Paramount Network, formerly Spike TV, took notice.

“And we traveled the country to practically every part of the country interviewing cops and witnesses and victims and his siblings and we put together this documentary based on my book,” said Cameron.

While he admits the call from Paramount was a writer’s dream, Cameron prepared himself for the skepticism that would follow.

“Many of the cases have been solved supposedly. Somebody’s in jail,” said Cameron. “The facts are though the killer actually designed the murders like that so that it would frame somebody. And the negativity from the prosecutors and the police officers and even the press too, is they’ve already gone and destroyed a person’s life.”

Cameron said Edwards was responsible for more than 500 murders, including a 1956 slaying of a couple in Great Falls. The upcoming documentary highlights the most publicized killings.

“The most controversial one in the whole show is Scott Peterson and the Laci Peterson murder in 2002 in Modesto (California),” said Cameron. “That’s the one people just have hatred for Scott Peterson and that’s probably going to cause the most controversy. But I think in that one it’s where we have the most evidence that it was Edwards.”

Cameron said the 1956 Great Falls murder will be featured in the first episode, premiering April 16th on Paramount. He added that if the documentary is successful, there will be an additional 16 episodes. He’s also hopeful of selling his book rights for a screenplay.

Reporting by Tim McGonigal for MTN News

HELENA – Lewis and Clark County prosecutors have charged two suspects and a third individual is being questioned regarding an alleged robbery in East Helena.

The incident took place just before 2:00 Wednesday afternoon when an individual called 9-1-1 saying he’d been attacked at a residence on the 400 block of East Porter Street.

Prosecutors say Jamie Ann Isbell lured the victim to her residence for a lunch date in order to rob him.

19 year-old Isbell allegedly told investigators she was the “ring-leader” who recruited Bruce Alan Lewis and another individual to rob the victim of $600.

When the victim walked into the residence he said two individuals wearing bandanas over their faces attacked him.

Lewis allegedly told investigators he punched the victim in the face, knocking out two front teeth. He then let a second, unidentified assailant continue the assault.

That individual allegedly threatened the victim with a knife.

Isbell has been charged with felony accountability to robbery. Bond in her case has been set at $35,000.

Lewis is charged with felony robbery. His bond is set at $40,000.

The two suspects will be arraigned in district court later this month. The third suspect was being questioned by law officers Thursday morning.

HAMILTON – It’s a heartbreaking case of animal cruelty out of Ravalli County.

Someone stole two pet beagles, kept them alive until one had puppies, then killed them — and investigators want to know who did it. Charlie and Stacy Heiland’s dogs Trigger and Copper disappeared from their property in late January.

Copper is a miniature Beagle who was pregnant at the time. An extensive search turned up nothing until late week when someone found the bodies of the two grown dogs near Lake Como Road.

Copper had had her puppies and they’d been allowed to nurse. But it appears whoever did this then took the puppies and killed the adult dogs.

Charlie Heiland says everyone had been searching for Trigger and Copper since late January so whoever had his pets kept them hidden.

“It’s crazy to think they’ve been kept inside this whole time for months, and then to kill them,” Charlie said. “Her puppies had been nursing on her so they waited until she did. They were eight weeks and old enough to eat dog food, and then killed her.”

The Heilands are checking Craigslist and other websites to see if the missing puppies are for sale. Charlie believes Copper had between four and five puppies.

Miniature Beagle puppies can sell for well over $2,000 a piece. The puppies should be seven or eight weeks-old right now.

The Ravalli County Sheriff’s Offices reports it has some evidence in the case but no suspects yet.

Anyone with information about the incident — or see the puppies for sale somewhere — is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at (406) 363-3033.

Anonymous tips can be made through the Ravalli County Sheriff’s App or by calling Crimestoppers at (406) 721-4444.

Reporting by Jill Valley for MTN News

A man who impersonated a police officer to take a woman from Gallatin County after threatening her family to his employer in Phoenix, Arizona, will spend the next 4 years in prison.

Clarence Edward Henderson, 50, a former resident of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced Friday, April 6, to 48 months in prison followed by 3 years supervised release after pleading guilty to felon in possession of firearms in August 2007.

According to court documents, in late December 2005, Henderson and two other men were sent by their employer to a Gallatin County residence to take a woman back to Phoenix, after the Christmas holiday.

She agreed to return to Arizona so her family would not be harmed. The three men wore “Special Agent” badges. Law enforcement seized two pistols, magazines, ammunition, a set of handcuffs, and a knuckle knife.

Henderson said he handled the firearms during the drive between Arizona and Montana and his employer, provided the firearms for his use. Henderson was arrested for impersonating a police officer and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Henderson’s prior felony convictions include robbery in Ohio and aggravated assault, possession of methamphetamine, attempted transportation of methamphetamine for sale, and forgery from Arizona.

Henderson did not appear at his sentencing hearing set in May 2009 and was arrested in North Carolina in November of last year. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy handed down the sentence.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette Stewart and investigated by the Bozeman Police Department, Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

BUTTE – Three Butte residents were arrested in connection with several mailbox thefts and forgeries.

Butte-Silver Bow Sheriff George Skuletich said the reported thefts resulted in thousands of dollars in forgeries and thefts from local businesses and individuals.

Lawrence Kahle, 51, was arrested on March 20, 2018, and still being held on a $50,000 bond for Felony Forgery. Raven Fury, 35, was arrested on March 22, 2018, and is being held on a $50,000 bond for 13 counts of misdemeanor possession of stolen property and 2 counts of misdemeanor theft and 1 count of felony forgery.

Charles Johnson, 35, was arrested on February 23, 2018, he bonded out on a $5,000 bond on one count of Felony Forgery.

Officials have a warrant out for a fourth person in connection with the crimes.

Photos courtesy of Butte-Silver Bow Sheriff Department.

BILLINGS – A Miles City man is facing a federal wire fraud charge for allegedly making false reports to his Texas ag and land lender in an effort to fraudulently obtain over $410,000.

Darrell Hatley was charged Thursday in U.S. District Court in Billings with one count of wire fraud.

Hatley borrowed money from Capital Farm Credit to pay for operating expenses related to his ranches in Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming and other states.

As part of the loan agreement, Hatley was required to provide annual financial statements and monthly cattle inventory reports to the lender, according to court documents.

Hatley allegedly misrepresented the number and quality of cattle he maintained to Capital starting in December 2015.

From December 2015 to August 2017, Hatley allegedly overinflated the number of cattle in his possession.

Prosecutors say Hatley’s false reports caused the lender to initiate a wire transfer of $413,537.

BOZEMAN – A timely message was sent out by Montana State to warn students, faculty, and staff about a scam going around campus.

“Scammers are sending people envelopes that appear to be coming from MSU they are being asked to deposit cash into their accounts and then send back gift cars and money to the scammers,” said Michael Becker, the News Director for the MSU News Service.

University police say they received 6 reports of the scam.

This type of scheme is a popular one and has been done before.

“Checks are usually the front line of what we deal with a lot because they are easy to alter and they don’t have a lot of the security features that currency does,” said Robert Vanuka, a detective with the Bozeman Police Department.

Detective Vanuka says that if any situation involves a transfer of money to an unknown party should bring up red flags.

“If it’s too good to be true, especially online, and your only correspondence is with somebody online is suspect and verify information,” said Vanuka

The MSU check scam isn’t the only one floating around.

Police say this time of year they see all types of scams because it is tax season.

“People posing as the IRS, people posing as law enforcement.

Indicating that either there is an arrest warrant because you didn’t pay your taxes, or you didn’t show up for jury duty, or some type of summons, and to quickly quash that warrant you can quickly pay it right over the phone,” said Vanuka.

If you do receive a call like this remember that these agencies will not ask for money over the phone.

If you experience any of these types of scams you can report it to the Bozeman Police Department.

Reporting by Morgan Davies for MTN News

BOZEMAN – A Bozeman man who pleaded guilty in February to negligent homicide for the death of a five-month-old baby was sentenced in Gallatin County District Court on Tuesday.

Branden Moss, 23, received a 15-year suspended sentence for the November 2015 incident at a Bozeman hotel that resulted in the baby boy’s death.

According to court documents, Moss told police he called 911 after the baby boy woke up and began to scream and then stopped breathing.

EMTs attempted CPR and the boy was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The state medical examiner’s report was completed in August of 2015 and determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the head and neck.

The suspended sentence handed down by Judge Holly Brown on Tuesday was recommended by County Attorney Marty Lambert and agreed to by Moss’s defense counsel.

As a condition of his sentencing, Moss cannot have contact with any child less than 2 years of age unless specifically permitted by his probation officer. He must also submit to any counseling or treatment ordered by his supervising officer, including parenting or anger management classes.

Moss also received credit for 449 days previously served.

GREAT FALLS – Tensions ran high in Cascade County court Friday morning as a Great Falls man who was accused of rape was sentenced.

Bradley John Goodell was sentenced to ten years at the Montana State Prison with all time suspended for one count of criminal endangerment.

During his change of plea hearing in October, Goodell admitted he knowingly engaged in conduct that caused a serious risk of bodily injury.

8th Judicial District Court Judge Elizabeth Best began the sentencing hearing of Goodell with some remarks.

Best broke down the responsibilities the court has had throughout this case.

“After the (state) Attorney General’s office took over, it added charges,” Best said.

Goodell was originally charged with one count of sexual assault without consent, which was later amended to four counts.

Goodell’s defense requested that the cases be severed and Judge Best allowed the charges to be separated into three different trials.

“In response to another motion the court was required to consider the Rape Shield Law,” Best said.

The Rape Shield Law limits a defendant’s ability to introduce evidence or cross-examine rape victims about their past sexual behavior.

“They were advised that there are instances when the rape shield can be pierced,” Mary Cochenour, Assistant Attorney General said.

“It was not pierced, Ms. Cochenour, it was not pierced, it was balanced,” Best said.

As the proceedings continued, Judge Best stated the prosecutors did not want to take responsibility for the role they played in this case.

“We met with the victims and told them the true status of this case in a fair measured disciplined like pros,” Daniel Guzynski, Prosecution Services Bureau Chief said.

Judge Best did not agree and stated that the sentencing memorandum was pointing the blame at the court.

The memorandum states that due to these rulings a jury would not hear about a pattern of abuse; however, the jury would hear graphic details of the victims’ sexual history.

Prosecutors said they wanted the memorandum to be very factual as they were preparing the document for the court.

The memorandum also stated that victims had lost confidence in the judicial process.

Both sides agree that a former prosecutor at the Attorney General’s office set the tone of this case early on by posting to social media about said case.

That prosecutor no longer works for the state’s office.

Reporting by Margaret DeMarco for MTN News

Previous:
13 Outrage after plea deal for accused Great Falls rapist
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Goodell facing more rape charges in Great Falls

BILLINGS – Evan William Mudge, who has six convictions for driving under the influence, appeared in court Friday on another DUI charge for allegedly driving drunk in Laurel on Thursday.

Mudge, 57 years old, is charged in Yellowstone County Justice Court with felony DUI.

A woman called Laurel police to report that Mudge had just broken up with her and had left the house very intoxicated.

Responding officers found Mudge behind the wheel of a vehicle, and he reportedly had bloodshot, glassy eyes, and his speech was slurred, according to court documents.

Mudge agreed to perform a breathalyzer test at the police station, where he was found to have a Blood Alcohol Content of .292 percent, which is nearly four times the legal driving limit.

He has DUI convictions from 1994, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012, according to court documents.

Mudge was then taken to the Yellowstone County jail where he remained Friday afternoon.

MISSOULA – The second of two suspects has denied charges against him in connection with a shooting that took place at a Missoula gas station in early March 2018.

19 year-old Ivory Brien has pleaded not guilty to two counts of accountability to attempted deliberate homicide.

Brien is accused of pepper-spraying patrons at South Avenue Market while 18 year-old Chase Munson is being charged with shooting two victims.

Judge Brenda Desmond approved of Brien’s release to a pretrial supervision program under the condition that he reside with his parents in Arlee. He will be monitored by GPS tracking and will also have to undergo a chemical dependency evaluation.

Brien will have to follow the recommendations from that evaluation and any violations of these conditions may result in him being placed back in custody.

Munson also pleaded not guilty to two counts of attempted deliberate homicide in Missoula District Court on Tuesday.

Reporting by Connor McCauley for MTN News

MISSOULA – The Montana Supreme Court heard arguments today on whether the state constitution allows public dollars to fund private education.

Today’s hearing took place at the University of Montana.

The tax credit program provides up to $150 in tax credits for donations made to scholarship programs at private schools.

The Montana Department of Revenue argues that tax-credit scholarships for religious schools violates the state’s No Aid clause.

But religious groups, including families of three students enrolled in religious schools, sued, calling the Revenue decision discriminatory.

The high court is expected to issue its ruling in the coming months.

GREAT FALLS – William Patrick Rose III has been charged with assault with a weapon (felony) in Great Falls after he allegedly told police that he had shot someone on Sunday.

Court documents state the on Sunday night, Rose contacted the Great Falls Police Department and reported that he had shot someone.

Officers responded to the residence on the 500 block of 22nd Avenue NE, where they found a man with a gunshot wound to his chest.

The man who was shot was taken to Benefis Health System for treatment; there is no word at this time on his current condition.

According to court documents, Rose claimed that the shooting was in self-defense, and told police that the gun he used was inside his vehicle parked in front of the residence, but refused to provide any other information.

Prosecutors have requested that bond for Rose be set at $100,000 due to the “excessively violent nature of this crime.”

We have requested a booking photo from the Cascade County Detention Center but have not yet received it.

We will update you as we get more information.

-David Sherman reporting for MTN

GREAT FALLS – Jaroslav Kleberc, the truck driver who caused the death of a Canadian man in a crash west of Great Falls, was sentenced Friday morning.

Marvin Knutson of Saskatchewan, 72, died in the crash last April.

Kleberc was sentenced to six months in the Cascade County Detention Center, with credit for time served, for careless driving

He was also sentenced to 10 years in the Montana State Prison, with all time suspended for tampering with physical evidence.

Kleberc changed his plea in the case in February. The family of Knutson agreed that the plea agreement was sufficient in this case.

Knutson’s family has filed a civil case against Kleberc that is now in Cascade County District Court.

Reporting by Margaret DeMarco for MTN News

Kleberc pleads guilty to causing fatal crash
Truck driver pleads not guilty to fatal hit-and-run
Fatal hit-and-run crash suspect appears in court

(APRIL 17, 2017) The man who was killed in a crash just outside of Great Falls on Saturday night has been identified as Marvin Knutson.

The Cascade County Sheriff/Coroner’s Office released the man’s name on Monday morning. Knutson, 72 years old, was from Swift Current, Saskatchewan.

The crash was reported to the Montana Highway Patrol at 10:17 p.m. and happened near mile marker 275 along I-15, just south of the Great Falls airport.

According to the Montana Highway Patrol, the semi truck was southbound on I-15 when the driver decided to turn into the “authorized only” section in the median to get to the weigh station. The Dodge Caravan was northbound on I-15, when the semi turned and entered into the northbound lane.

The Caravan moved into the passing lane to avoid the semi but still made contact with the right rear side of the trailer. The semi truck driver continued into the weigh station, stopped for a moment, but then drove away. MHP has not located the semi truck yet, but assumes there is damage on the right rear side of the semi’s trailer.

We will update you when we get more information.

The Montana Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate.

MISSOULA – A Bozeman hotel owner is worried negative comments on social media will not only hurt his business but also his employees.

Larry Lambert of Missoula has owned motels and hotels for about 30 years and currently owns the Bozeman Super 8 where police busted a meth lab last week. The raid happened after a guest reported suspicious activity around 2:30 a.m. with the front desk clerk calling the police.

“If something happens, if there’s illegal activity, you call the police. At another hotel another person may have checked into the room, same story, same everything happens and the hotel may just kick them out,” Lambert said.

“And if they just kick them out and they don’t say anything they take their problem, they take their drugs down the road to do it somewhere else. At another town another hotel in another something. That’s not what we do,” he added.

Lambert told MTN News that the hotel has received a lot of negative feedback because of their actions from the community and he’s worried his employees could be hurt in the long run for simply doing the right thing.

“All of our employees, they’re not working for us because they just want to come in and hang out. They’re working for us because they [want to]. They have families to support,” Lambert said.

“You know, they’re either the bread winner or their the second income for the expendable income. so those people count on the income that they get from the rooms that we rent,” he concluded.

Lambert says his staff will continue training with the Missouri River Task Force which conducted last week’s meth lab raid.

By Lauren Heiser