BOZEMAN – Three people face felony charges after police allegedly found them in possession of methamphetamine and other drugs at a Bozeman-area motel on Sunday.

Antonio Creel, Cheyanne Young, and Kaylenne Dues-Carey all appeared in Gallatin County Justice Court on Monday, accused of felony possession of dangerous drugs with intent to distribute.

According to court documents, a Bozeman police officer on patrol arrested Creel, 20, after spotting him in the Bozeman Motel 6 parking lot with Young. The officer stated that Creel had two outstanding felony warrants, threw something into the trunk of a blue sedan when he saw the officer, and was then arrested at gunpoint. Officers reportedly found a hypodermic needle and digital scale in Creel’s pockets after his arrest.

The officer states that Young, 22, claimed the sedan was hers and was cooperative but denied consent to search the trunk of the vehicle. A K9 search of the car’s exterior indicated the presence of drugs, and the car was impounded.

The reporting officer proceeded with backup to the motel room Creel and Young were reportedly staying in and spoke with Dues-Carey, who identified herself as Amber Cook. Officers were able to confirm her identity with registration information from the motel, and she was arrested for obstructing an officer.

At the Gallatin County Detention Center, officers allegedly found meth, fentanyl, syringes, and plastic baggies in Dues-Carey’s purse and a cardboard box she claimed was hers.

Court documents state that Young was also arrested and taken to the detention center after officers found her in possession of a narcotic prescribed to another individual. A further search at the detention center allegedly found two baggies of meth hidden on her person.

Judge Bryan Adams set Creel’s bail at $150,000, stating that he poses an extreme risk to the safety of the community. Young and Dues-Carey each had their bail set at $3,000.

All three are next scheduled to appear in District Court on May 25.

GREAT FALLS – Kristina Lee Martinez, 46, has been charged with a felony after allegedly stealing an elderly man’s debit card and credit card and charging over $200 worth of items to the cards.

Court documents state that a Great Falls police officer was dispatched to a senior living home on April 18 for a report that an 84-year-old man’s credit, debit, and insurance cards were stolen and charges were applied to the cards at three businesses.

The senior living home’s manager said the man has a cognitive disability and difficulty processing and remembering information.

The manager had already spoken to employees who were working when the property went missing and gathered statements.

The manager told the officer that Martinez and another woman were working on April 18 and had retrieved laundry from the victim’s room.

According to the documents, Martinez and the other employee noticed that the victim’s cell phone and wallet were inside the pocket of a pair of pants that had gone through the washing machine.

Martinez and the employee placed the items on a counter so the items could dry before being returned.

The documents continue that the other employee told the officer she placed all of the items back into the wallet and that Martinez requested she give the wallet to her to return to the victim’s room.

The manager said she received a phone call from the victim’s daughter later that day that one of the victim’s credit cards had charges of around $276.

The officer was able to review surveillance footage from two of the three businesses where the cards were charged on April 18.

The footage shows Martinez and another woman purchasing several items at a self check-out station.

Martinez has been charged with felony elder/persons with developmental disabilities abuse and one misdemeanor for theft.

Martinez has no known criminal history and her bond has been set at $5,000.

GREAT FALLS – William Patrick Rose III was arrested on Friday, April 27th, and is facing a charge of deliberate homicide for the death of Steven Jacobson.

Rose was initially charged with assault with a weapon for the shooting incident that happened 500 block of 22nd Avenue NE on April 8th.

He was charged on April 18th with attempted deliberate homicide for the shooting.

Court documents supporting the attempted homicide charge state that in the minutes leading up the shooting, Rose had left the victim’s girlfriend a number of threatening voicemail messages.

The court documents state: “The defendant can be heard stating that he had two guns pointing at the victim. In that same message, he states that no one knows they are hanging out and ‘I can just put you down.’ He called 911 three minutes later and said that he had shot the victim.”

Court documents note that Rose “appeared to be under the influence of narcotics” when officers arrived.

Last week, Cascade County Sheriff Bob Edwards said that Stevenson died.

GREAT FALLS – Brian Denelson Willman of Great Falls, 31 years old, was sentenced on Tuesday to 25 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to prohibited person in possession of a firearm on January 10, 2018.

U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris issued the sentence.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, on July 21, 2016, Willman possessed a stolen Stevens .22 caliber rifle in Great Falls.

The day before, a Great Falls residence was burglarized and six firearms were taken, including a Stevens Arms Company, model Number 26 Crackshot, .22 caliber, single shot rifle, with no serial number.

A neighbor took a picture of the car involved and provided the picture and other information to the police.

The Great Falls Police Department tracked down the owner of the car and learned that Willman was using the car.

After a high-speed chase, police arrested Willman. The Stevens .22 caliber rifle was found in the trunk of the car.

After being arrested, Willman called a friend from jail and discussed the stolen firearm found in the trunk of the car. At the time, Willman was on absconder status with Montana Probation & Parole.

The Probation & Parole Office received Willman on parole from Arizona through the interstate compact after his conviction for aggravated assault there.

According to the Montana Department of Corrections, Willman has convictions in Cascade County for burglary and criminal endangerment.

BILLINGS – A Billings man was charged Monday with felony robbery for allegedly stealing a candy bar from an Ace Hardware store on Sunday.

David William Bowman, 57, was scheduled to make his initial appearance Monday in Yellowstone County Justice Court on one count each of felony robbery and criminal possession of dangerous drugs.

A clerk at Ace Hardware on State Avenue in Billings called 911 Sunday afternoon to report that a man had stolen merchandise and left the premises.

The woman said the suspect attempted to purchase a candy bar, but his credit card wouldn’t work and he became angry.

Bowman gave his credit card to the woman and allegedly said if she could not make it work, he was going to strangle her.

Bowman also made a sexual comment about “swiping her,” the woman said.

The clerk couldn’t get the card to work, so Bowman took it back and left with the candy bar.

The woman said she was very scared by the encounter and believed Bowman was going to hurt her.

Officers located Bowman at his home and noted that he appeared very aggravated.

When officers brought up the candy bar, Bowman began screaming and trying to go back inside his house.

Officers told Bowman to stay outside and follow orders but he allegedly declined until he was threatened with a Taser.

While he was being booked at the jail, detention officers patted down Bowman and allegedly found a baggie containing methamphetamine and a baggie with mushrooms in his pocket.

Bowman is being held at the Yellowstone County jail without bond.

Reporting by Aja Goare for MTN News

KALISPELL – A Martin City man could face life in prison if convicted in a fatal shooting that happened in Hungry Horse last week.

47-year-old James William Quen of Martin City was charged with deliberate homicide.

Flathead County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a home in Hungry Horse around 11:40 p.m. last Wednesday after a caller reported a shooting. Deputies arrived to find Bradley Allen Winters, 33, of Hungry Horse dead from a single gunshot wound to the chest.

According to court documents, there was an altercation between the suspect and the victim over money. At one point the suspect pulled out a handgun firing several rounds.

Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry says the last round struck the victim in the chest.

Quin was taken into custody at his home about an hour later.

Investigators are still looking for two possible witnesses. Anyone with information to help connect the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office with Shivaun Crothers and Ronald Kevin Lindsey is requested to contact 406-752-TIPS.

Reporting by Nicole Miller for MTN News

GREAT FALLS – Kyle Patrick Ramon has been charged with one felony and one misdemeanor in Great Falls after allegedly threatening to harm his baby. The incident that led to the charges happened on Monday evening at a home on 2nd Avenue South between 9th Street and 10th Street.

Police officers went to the house to check on the welfare of the infant, who was in Ramon’s care. Social workers were concerned about the baby’s safety after Ramon reportedly sent text messages to the baby’s mother over the weekend. Kyle Ramon

According to court documents, Ramon told the mother via the messages to come home or else he was “gunna kick (the baby) in the head,” and “your kidiw about to get ounched in th f**king face and left here.”

When police arrived at the house just before 5:30 p.m. on Monday and knocked on the door, no one answered, but they saw the makeshift curtains move as if someone was looking outside. The officers heard a baby crying inside.

Court documents say that the officers used their patrol car intercom to amplify their voices to call on Ramon to come outside. Ramon then called police dispatch, briefly spoke with a dispatcher, and then hung up.

A short time later, two females came out of the house and confirmed to police that Ramon was inside, but refused to come out.

Ramon was eventually taken into custody, and reportedly told police that he did not come out of the house initially because he was giving the baby a bath; however, the probable cause affidavit notes that officers and child-welfare workers noted “the child was filthy and had a full diaper” when they took the baby into custody.

Ramon was also involved in an incident on April 13, and was charged with carrying a concealed weapon for that incident. On April 13, he was seen with a concealed handgun in his waistband, which was later recovered by police when they searched his car. Court documents note that the baby was present at the time of that incident, which happened at a home on the 700 block of 4th Avenue SW. Ramon failed to appear in court on that charge, and a warrant was issued in Municipal Court.

For Monday’s incident, Ramon has been charged with felony intimidation, and misdemeanor obstruction of a peace officer or other public servant.

Prosecutors requested that bond for Ramon be set at $25,000.

BILLINGS – The man who engaged Billings police in a standoff downtown on Tuesday was identified Wednesday by the Montana Department of Justice, which is now heading the investigation.

Two state probation and parole officers were met with gunfire when they went to the home of Michael Jeffrey Anderson, 60, to conduct a routine home check around 5 p.m., according to a DOJ press release.

Anderson was on probation for a 2007 conviction of assault with a weapon out of Gallatin County and he had a 2009 federal conviction for felon in possession of a machine gun.

The officers returned fire and escaped without injury.

Anderson then barricaded himself in his home on Second Avenue North for about two hours.

Billings police officers arrived and members of the SWAT team arrived in the Ballistic Engineered Armored Response truck, known as the BEAR.

According to the DOJ press release, Anderson failed to respond to commands even after the front door of the home was smashed in by the BEAR.

Officers then fired rounds of beanbags into the home and used a diversion sound device.

Once officers gained entry into the home around 7 p.m., they took Anderson into custody.

Anderson was taken to the hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries. The press release stated that Anderson is in “stable” condition.

The two probation and parole officers who fired shots are currently on paid administrative leave per DOJ policy.

Once the investigation is complete, the case will be sent to the Yellowstone County Attorney’s Office for review.

Charges are expected to be filed this week, according to the press release.

Reporting by Aja Goare for MTN News

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Suspect injured, taken into custody after standoff with Billings police

GREAT FALLS – Carrie Burrafato has been charged with one felony and three misdemeanors in Great Falls after she allegedly was speeding in a school zone while under the influence, and had a child in her vehicle.

Court documents state that police officers saw a pickup truck going about 45 miles per hour toward the intersection of 6th Avenue South and 10th Street on Wednesday, May 1st. The driver of the truck – later identified as Burrafato – failed to yield right of way to the police car at the intersection, and the officer had to slam on his brakes to avoid a collision.

Burrafato continued driving recklessly at more than 40 miles per hour in a school zone and through residential areas, according to court documents.

Officers were able to pull her over near 1700 Valeria Way; when she got out of her vehicle, according to the probable cause affidavit, Burrafato “could barely walk…was belligerent, using multiple profanities, and her speech was extremely slurred.”

The affidavit notes that the officer did not detect the smell of alcohol, but did find a bottle of medication that had been prescribed for Burrafato. The medication bottle notes that the pills may cause drowsiness and affect a person’s ability to operate a motor vehicle.

Officers opted not to conduct a field sobriety test “due to officer safety, given her propensity to resist and be combative.”

Burrafato refused to provide a blood sample.

The affidavit also alleges that at the Cascade County jail, Burrafato assaulted an inmate in the intake area.

Burrafato has been charged with criminal child endangerment (felony); driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (1st offense, misdemeanor); reckless driving (misdemeanor); and failure to yield right of way (misdemeanor).

NOTE: The charging documents identify her as CARRIE; the police affidavit identifies her as CARIE.

HELENA – Two Butte residents connected to a fatal shooting at a Helena motel have been sentenced to prison on federal drug charges.

42 year-old Brandon James LeClair and 30 year-old Travis Holly Stephens pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and federal gun charged last October.

Federal prosecutors say LeClair had been dealing meth for Stephens in late 2016.

The pair traveled to Helena from Butte on January 24th to conduct an alleged drug deal.

Early the next morning, a fight broke out in a room at the Helena Motel 6 between LeClair, and Kenneth Purcell Jr.

The fight ended in the motel parking lot with Purcell shot and killed.

LeClair received a 14 year prison term. Stephens received nine years.

Back in October, County Attorney Leo Gallagher told MTN the homicide charge against LeClair was dropped in cooperation with federal prosecutors.

According to the Department of Justice:

Brandon James LeClair, a 42-year-old Butte resident, was sentenced today to 168 months in prison followed by 5 years supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm on October 17, 2017. U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell handed down the sentence.

LeClair trafficked an ounce of methamphetamine each week from October 2016 until mid-December 2016 with his codefendant, Travis Stephens. Their drug trafficking allegedly stopped after LeClair stole a safe from Stephens in mid-December 2016. The safe contained one pound of methamphetamine and approximately $10,000.

On January 25, 2017, law enforcement was called to their Helena area motel room to investigate a violent confrontation. At that time, LeClair possessed a loaded Taurus 9mm pistol. LeClair’s criminal history includes two prior federal convictions for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in May 1999, and two counts of felon in possession of a firearm in August 2007. LeClair was held responsible for distributing 12 ounces of methamphetamine. That converts to 2718 individual doses of the drug.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette Stewart and investigated by the Missouri River Drug Task Force, Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement Agency and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

Travis Holly Stephens, a 30-year-old Butte resident, was sentenced today to 108 months in prison followed by 5 years supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on October 17, 2017. U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell handed down the sentence.

From October 2016 until January 2017, Stephens distributed methamphetamine herself and with others in Montana. On January 25, 2017, law enforcement responded to a disturbance at her Helena area motel room. Stephens was found with one pound of pure methamphetamine as well as a loaded Bersa firearm in her car trunk. She was held responsible for distributing one pound of methamphetamine. That converts to 3624 individual doses of the drug.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette Stewart and investigated by the Missouri River Drug Task Force and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

BILLINGS – A jailer at the Yellowstone County Detention Facility spent a weekend on the other side of the bars earlier this month, after she was arrested for allegedly assaulting another jail employee off-duty.

Brittany Rae Malone, 33, a detention officer at the jail, was arrested on Friday, April 20, after reportedly slapping and punching Jacob Willoughby, a sergeant at the jail, reports Last Best News. Malone was held in the jail, at 3165 King Ave. E., until the morning of April 23, when she made an initial appearance in Justice Court and pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of partner or family member assault.

The arrest report said Malone and Willoughby “have had an ongoing sexual affair during the last year that ended approximately 1 month ago.”

Malone was released on her own recognizance, without posting a bond, and is on administrative leave while an internal investigation of the incident is being conducted, according to Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder, whose office oversees operation of the jail.

According to an arrest report filed by sheriff’s deputy Gary Burke, he was sent to a gas station on Old Hardin Road in Lockwood a little before 5 p.m. on April 20, where a “physical disturbance” was underway. When he arrived there, Burke said, he was told by Willoughby that Malone had come to his residence on Alaskan Way, also in Lockwood, and had gotten into a “verbal disturbance” with Willoughby’s wife, Jessica, who also works at the jail, as a booking clerk.

Jacob Willoughby told the deputy that his wife and Malone left the residence in separate cars, and he followed shortly after in his vehicle. When Jacob Willoughby arrived at a gas station at 2816 Old Hardin Road, he reported seeing Malone get out of her car and lean into Jessica’s Willoughby’s car while yelling at her.

Jacob Willoughby put himself between Malone and his wife’s car, according to the arrest report, at which point Malone slapped him in the face. Jessica Willoughby then drove away, the report said, but when Jacob Willoughby attempted to drive off, Malone jumped onto the side rail of his vehicle, reaching inside to grab the steering wheel.

Malone “then proceeded to repeatedly hit Jacob in the face and at one point grabbed his forearm and left a fingernail mark skin abrasion,” the report says. Both of them drove away from the gas station after that.

Linder said he couldn’t say much about what happened between Malone and Jacob Willoughby because it is “a personnel situation” and is under investigation. “Hopefully, it won’t take very long,” he added.

Asked if it would have been a policy violation for a sheriff’s sergeant to have a sexual relationship with one of his subordinates at the jail, Linder said, “I suppose it could be, if it affects working relationships within the facility.”

But there is no policy forbidding employees from seeing whomever they wish outside of work, he said. Asked if any other jail employees had complained about the relationship, or whether it had caused any problems at the jail, Linder said, “We’d been, I guess, made aware of allegations and they were investigated,” but no policy violations were discovered.

Asked what those allegations were, Linder said he could not say because it was a personnel matter.

Linder, asked what happens when someone who works at the jail is arrested, said, “We have the ability to keep people separate, regardless of whether they’re an employee or a danger to themselves or to someone else.”

Asked if Jacob Willoughby worked at the jail during the weekend Malone was incarcerated there, Linder said, “I don’t know what his schedule is, so I don’t know about that.” If Jacob Willoughby did work that weekend, Linder said, “we would have kept them separate. I mean, it’s a big place.”

Jail commander Capt. Sam Bofto referred all questions to Linder.

A trial on the first-offense misdemeanor assault charge was set for Aug. 21. If found guilty, Malone could be fined as much as $1,000 and jailed for up to a year.

Reporting by Ed Kemmick – Last Best News

GREAT FALLS – Jonathon Joseph Lee Shelton has been charged after he allegedly assaulted a man in Great Falls.

The incident happened at 2010 River Drive North on Wednesday just after 11 a.m.

A probable cause affidavit says that police officers were sent to the scene for a report of an assault; when they arrived, they contacted a man in a vehicle that had blood in and around it. The man told police that Shelton had hit him with a bat or a large stick.

Officers then saw Shelton outside a trailer home arguing with a woman.

The alleged victim and the woman told police that Shelton and the woman – who are in a relationship – had been arguing earlier in the day, and that Shelton had left her at another location and went home. The man who was assaulted then gave the woman a ride home.

Once they arrived, according to court documents, Shelton and the man began arguing. The victim told police that Shelton then grabbed a “large wooden object” and began hitting him on the head with it, and then Shelton pulled out a knife.

The victim managed to get away from Shelton and then tried to go inside, but Shelton reportedly followed him and continued hitting him.

The man told police that the woman then grabbed a pistol, according to the affidavit, and pointed it at Shelton, at which point Shelton stopped hitting the man.

The woman and a neighbor corroborated what the victim told police.

Shelton reportedly admitted hitting the man, but said that he did so in self-defense, because the woman had pointed a gun at him.

The officer’s report notes: “Due to the conflicting statements, it appeared Jonathon was the aggressor.”

Shelton has been charged with assault with a weapon (felony); prosecutors requested that bond for Shelton be set at $20,000.

GREAT FALLS – Scott Ellison has been charged with two felonies after allegedly masturbating in front of two children.

Court documents state that a Great Falls Police Department detective received a report of possible sexual abuse concerning two minors under the age of 13.

Forensic interviews were conducted and one minor stated that Ellison had showed him masturbation videos online and then masturbated in front of him.

The second minor stated that Ellison had discussed masturbation with her and that he had also masturbated in front of her.

According to the documents, the second minor said Ellison tried to get her to touch him but she refused and started crying.

The second minor said Ellison told her not to tell anyone or “he would go to jail and she would have to go back to foster care.”

The documents state a detective interviewed Ellison and he admitted he masturbated in front of the first minor, but stated it was for educational purposes only.

Ellison stated he did not remember doing anything in front of the second minor.

Ellison is facing a sexual assault charge and an indecent exposure charge.

Prosecutors requested bond be set at $100,000.

BILLINGS – A man was arrested at a Billings bar Wednesday night after allegedly retrieving a rifle from his vehicle after being asked to leave.

Police said in a press release that Jesse Tyler Oldcrow, 32 of Lodge Grass, was arrested at Bones Arcade on Broadwater Avenue at about 10:15 p.m.

Officers were sent to the bar for a disturbance and found Oldcrow being held down on the ground by a bar security officer.

The press release states officers were told Oldcrow had been asked to leave the bar for causing a disturbance. The man then went to a vehicle and retrieved a rifle from the trunk.

Oldcrow turned toward the security officer and began to raise the rifle when the officer ran at him and tackled him, the press release states.

The security officer held Oldcrow down and another security officer secured the rifle until police arrived.

Oldcrow is being held in the Yellowstone County jail on a possible charge of assault with a weapon.

Sheri Forbregd Gossage, the former Information Technology Director for the Poplar School District, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

Gossage was initially charged with theft from a state and local government receiving federal funding, and wire fraud.

Court documents allege that Gossage fraudulently claimed and received money by misusing the school district credit cards to order supplies from Amazon and other merchants, none of which were authorized.

In a plea agreement, Gossage pleaded guilty to the charge of wire fraud, and the theft charge was dropped.

Sentencing for Gossage has been set for August 16.

(MARCH 7, 2018) Sheri Forbregd Gossage, the former Information Technology Director for the Poplar School District, has been charged in federal court with stealing money from the district.

Gossage is charged with theft from a state and local government receiving federal funding, and wire fraud.

Court documents allege that Gossage fraudulently claimed and received money by misusing the school district credit cards to order supplies from Amazon and other merchants, none of which were authorized.

The trial for Gossage has been scheduled for Monday, May 14, at the federal courthouse in Great Falls.

The charging documents state:

Beginning in or about February 2014, and continuing thereafter until in or about July 2017, at Poplar, within Roosevelt County, in the State and District of Montana, and other places, the defendant, SHERI FORBREGD GOSSAGE, who worked for the Poplar School District, an agency of State and Local government, intentionally misapplied, embezzled, stole, and obtained by fraud, and otherwise without authority knowingly converted to her own use and the use of others, property valued at more than $5,000, that was owned by, and under the care, custody, and control of such an agency of State and Local government, that is, the defendant, SHERI FORBREGD GOSSAGE, embezzled, converted, and misapplied monies and funds by using the Poplar School District credit cards for personal use and other unauthorized expenses, both for herself and others, all in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 666(a)(I)(A).

Beginning in or about February 2014, and continuing thereafter until in or about July 2017, at Poplar, within Roosevelt County, in the State and District of Montana, and other places, the defendant, SHERI FORBREGD GOSSAGE, having devised and intending to devise a material scheme and artifice to defraud the Poplar School District, for the purpose of executing such scheme and artifice, and attempting to do so, did knowingly transmit and cause to be transmitted by means of wire communication in interstate and foreign commerce, writings, signs, signals, pictures, and sounds for the purpose of executing such scheme and artifice.

During the period of the Indictment, it was part of the scheme and artifice to defraud the Poplar School District that the defendant, SHERI FORBREGD GOSSAGE, fraudulently used the Poplar School District credit cards for personal use and other unauthorized expenses, both for herself and for others.

During the period of the Indictment, the defendant, SHERI FORBREGD GOSSAGE, having devised and intending to devise a material scheme and artifice to defraud, as described herein, for the purpose of executing the scheme to defraud, used a credit card and ordered items from Amazon, thereby transmitting and causing to be transmitted by means of wire communication affecting interstate commerce writings, signs, signals, pictures, and sounds for the purpose of executing such scheme and artifice, from the State of Montana, to outside the State of Montana, including to Washington, Illinois, and elsewhere, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.

The allegations set forth in Counts I and II of the Indictment are re-alleged as though fully set forth herein and incorporated by reference for the purpose of alleging forfeiture to the United States of America pursuant to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1) and 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c).

Upon conviction of any charge in the Indictment, the defendant, SHERI FORBREGD GOSSAGE, shall forfeit to the United States, any property, real and personal, which constitutes and is derived from proceeds traceable to the offense, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 982(a)(1) and 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c). The property subject to forfeiture includes:

A money judgment in the amount of $89,043.81.

Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 982(b)(I) , the defendant shall forfeit to the United States other property if any of the property described above as being subject to forfeiture, as a result of any action or omission of the defendant:
a. Cannot be located upon the exercise of due diligence;
b. Has been transferred or sold to, or deposited with, a third party;
c. Has been placed beyond the jurisdiction of the Court;
d. Has been substantially diminished in value; and
e. Has been commingled with other property that cannot be divided without difficulty.

BOZEMAN – Darcy Travagline of Bozeman is accused of burning the pickup truck of a man she claims is the father of her unborn twins.

Travagline, 48 years old, was arrested for arson on Wednesday morning.

According to court documents, Gallatin County Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of a pickup truck on fire at a Belgrade residence at around 5 a.m. on Wednesday.

The owner of the truck claimed he had not seen Travagline since having a brief relationship with her several years earlier.

Travagline allegedly told police, after her arrest, she had been dating the man on-and-off for four years, is pregnant with twins, and that the man is the father.

Court documents state that Travagline showed up at the man’s house, demanding that he let her stay. The man said he refused and asked her to leave. She later returned and went into the house through the back door, and again the man refused to let her stay. He did not see her again but thought she might be responsible for starting the fire.

The reporting deputy saw Travagline walking on Frontage Road in Belgrade.

She flagged the deputy down and requested a ride to the airport. According to the deputy, she admitted at that time that she left a lit cigarette in the seat of the truck and that it was on fire when she left.

She was arrested and taken to the Gallatin County Detention Center.

Travagline reportedly waived her rights and said that she intended to burn the seat, but not the entire truck.

In Justice Court on Thursday, her bail was set at $25,000.

Her preliminary hearing is set for May 25.

MTN’s Mederios Babb and David Dyas contributed to this report.

EUREKA – Agents from the U.S. Border Patrol’s Eureka Station apprehended a man last month who was wanted on a felony warrant on dangerous drugs charges.

The arrest took place on April 15, after agents had been advised of a possible illegal entry at the United States/Canada border near Rexford.

On the night of April 14, agents were advised of two suspicious individuals emerging from the trees at an area approximately a quarter mile from the United States/Canada border.

In the early hours of April 15, agents encountered the two individuals and asked them regarding their presence in the remote location. Through questioning it was determined both had illegally entered the United States.

One of the individuals was a Canadian citizen who was processed for removal, while the other individual, Jacob Moritz, was a naturalized U.S. citizen with an outstanding arrest warrant out of New York. Agents turned Moritz over to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and he was ultimately remanded to the U.S. Marshals Service.

Moritz’s warrant stemmed from a 1989 indictment charging him and others with various counts related to the large scale smuggling of marijuana, hashish, and heroin.

According to the indictment, the defendants used an ocean-going freighter to smuggle large quantities of drugs from all over the globe for a period beginning in 1970 and continuing until 1989. At the time of the indictment, Moritz fled the country.

“This is another excellent example of our agents doing their job to protect our country from those that are here to conduct illegal activities,” Patrol Agent in Charge Paul Farmer stated. “It should also be known that Mr. Moritz was uncooperative during questioning, however, that will never stop us from finding out who you are or what you have done in your past. If that includes conducting criminal activities 30 years ago, you will be turned over to the proper authorities and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Criminal charges are merely allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

GREAT FALLS – Great Falls/Cascade County Crimestoppers has released the May 2018 “Most Wanted” list.

If you have information about the location of any of the people on the list (seen in the video above), you’re asked to call the 24-hour Crimestoppers Hotline at 727-TIPS (8477).

All callers remain anonymous and a reward can be paid for tips leading to an arrest.

Great Falls/Cascade County Crimestoppers, the Great Falls Police Department, and the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office make every effort to keep the Most Wanted list current.

If you have reason to believe that any of the information contained on the list is inaccurate, call the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office at 406-454-6820 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Anyone who uses information contained in the list to commit a criminal act against someone else is subject to criminal prosecution.

Click here for the Crimestoppers page on Facebook.

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Online crime reporting tool launched in Great Falls

HELENA – A Helena woman is charged with assault with a weapon after allegedly hitting her husband with a car, twice.

Nancy Reynolds was arrested Sunday.

Charging documents say after she and her husband got into a fight at a residence on the 2600 block of Pinkerton, the 43-year old Reynolds knocked her husband down with a car and drove away.

A short time later she returned and a witness said Reynolds knocked the victim down a second time.

Law officers say the victim sustained multiple injuries.

Bond in the case has been set at $25,000.

GREAT FALLS – Ronald Millard Smith Jr. was arrested on Friday after being engaged in a stand-off with law enforcement officers in Kalispell.

Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry said in a Facebook post on Monday that at about 6 p.m., the Flathead County SWAT team responded to 62 Silverleaf Drive where a man – later identified as Smith – had barricaded himself in a small camper trailer.

Patrol units had responded to that address just before 6 p.m. after receiving a 911 call of a partner/family member assault in progress. Patrol units found Smith along with the female victim outside of the residence when they arrived.

According to Sheriff Curry, Smith then ran into the residence and then out the back door, and then went into a camper which was parked just outside the residence.

Patrol units were advised by the victim that there were numerous weapons in the camper.

After attempting to negotiate with Smith for approximately one hour, the patrol sergeant requested the SWAT team.

The SWAT team and two negotiators arrived, and a perimeter was established and the negotiators attempted to make contact with Smith, to no avail.

At about 9:30 p.m., a wooden dowel round was deployed in an attempt to elicit a response, and then tear gas was introduced into the camper.

Smith came out of the camper within 30 seconds and was taken into custody. He was taken by ambulance to a Kalispell hospital, where he was cleared and released to detention.

Smith was arrested on a $25,000 warrant and reports were referred to the County Attorney for charges related to the partner/family member assault.