GREAT FALLS – Tessa Danielle Dear has been charged after she allegedly was driving under the influence with a child in her SUV.

Court documents state that at about 2:15 a.m. on Saturday, May 12th, a Montana Highway Patrol trooper had pulled over a vehicle on 6th Street NW near Northwest Bypass. Another trooper saw a dark SUV drive by the traffic stop and hit an orange traffic cone.

One of the troopers then followed the SUV and initiated a traffic stop in front of the Salvation Army building near the intersection of 6th Street NW and Central Avenue West.

The trooper noted that the driver – later identified as Dear – had red, watery eyes, and the smell of alcohol was present inside the SUV.

According to a police affidavit, Dear admitted that she had consumed alcoholic beverages earlier.

The trooper noted a juvenile passenger asleep in the back seat of the SUV; the child was secured in a child-safety seat.

The trooper then administered a field sobriety test; according to court documents, Dear exhibited “multiple indicators of intoxication” during the test.

Dear declined to provide a breath or blood sample.

Dear has been charged with criminal child endangerment (felony) and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (1st offense, misdemeanor).

Prosecutors requested that bond for Dear be set at $5,000.

KALISPELL – Kalispell Police have made an arrest in the suspected arson case that caused an explosion at a local business last month.

Arnold Wayne Deans turned himself into police and now faces negligent arson and theft charges.

Police and firefighters responded to Rick Anderson Snow Jobs and Dirt on April 19 at around 2:30 a.m. to find flames coming from the parking lot.

Surveillance video captured from a nearby business showed a small fire break out before a sudden explosion. The video then shows somebody running from the scene.

The fire was extinguished quickly and no one was injured. However, several snowmobiles, ATVs, and UTVs were damaged in the blaze, causing an estimated $50,000 in damage.

Police say tips were generated through the Crimestoppers call-line and social media.

Reporting by Don Fisher for MTN News

GREAT FALLS – Jess Raymond Miller has been charged after police allegedly found him in possession of methamphetamine.

On May 13, a Great Falls Police officer responded to the area near the Town Pump at 1041 10th Avenue South for a report of a man passed out in a vehicle.

Court documents state that the officer located the suspect vehicle and found Miller passed out in the driver’s seat with his right sleeve rolled up and an orange cap on the seat next to him.

When Miller got out of the vehicle, the officer noticed a syringe under his left leg on the seat, which held about .15 cubic centimeters of clear liquid.

The substance tested positive for meth.

Miller declined to speak with law enforcement.

He has been charged with felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs and a misdemeanor for criminal possession of drug paraphernalia.

Miller has an out-of-state criminal history that includes drug possession and failure to appear, according to court documents.

His bond has been set at $5,000.

BILLINGS – A Billings man is facing charges for allegedly raping a young girl he met online and trying to meet other young girls.

Emilio Walks, 21, was set to make his initial appearance in Yellowstone County Justice Court on one count of intercourse without consent.

According to court documents, Walks met the 13-year-old girl on Facebook and they began dating online for about three weeks before they met in person. The girl initially told Walks she was 16 but later admitted she was 13, according to court documents.

The girl agreed to meet up with Walks in January and met up with him at the Lazy KT Motel in downtown Billings.

The victim told investigators that when she got to the motel, Walks was there with a 30-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl.

The victim reported feeling uncomfortable because she’d never been alone in a motel room with adults before.

Walks said he wanted to smoke marijuana and have sex, according to the victim.

The girl said she wanted to smoke marijuana but did not want to have sex with Walks.

Walks allegedly made the girl undress and raped her, according to court documents.

Detectives spoke with employees at the Lazy KT Motel, who confirmed Walks and the girl went into a room together.

Detectives also reviewed Facebook messages between the victim and Walks and found several nude and semi-nude photos exchanged between them. Authorities also found a message sent after the incident at the motel where the girl informed Walks she had undergone a sexual assault exam at the hospital.

Walks expressed concern that the girl would identify him to authorities.

When questioned by detectives, Walks first denied having sex with the victim and said he denied her Facebook friend request because he didn’t want to upset the 16-year-old mother of his child.

Walks eventually admitted having sex with the girl, according to court documents, and he also admitted trying to add other underage girls on Facebook.

Walks is also mentioned in court documents filed against Erin Montoya, 25, who is apparently the mother of his child.

According to those charges, Walks and Montoya used methamphetamine and left loaded syringes in the home where their 3-year-old child lives with them.

The child allegedly had access to the syringes, which were in a cabinet that was on the floor of the bathroom.

Walks has not been charged in Montoya’s case.

Walks is being held at the Yellowstone County jail on an $80,000 bond.

HELENA – A 25-year-old Helena woman is accused of trying to buy a truck with checks stolen from a mailbox.

Taylor Renee Corne appeared via video in Lewis and Clark Co. Justice Court Monday afternoon.

According to court documents, Corne attempted to buy a truck from a man with a check made out for more than $3,900.

Police say the seller became suspicious when he searched Corne’s name on the internet and saw her mug shot from an unrelated case.

The seller contacted police to investigate. Police say they contacted name associated with the account on the check. He reportedly told authorities that someone had taken mail from his mailbox sometime between May 7th and May 11th.

The victim says he learned of the theft when his credit card company alerted him to suspicious activity in the Helena area.

Court records say the check used to purchase the truck was blank credit card check mailed with a statement.

Police also say when they went to arrest Corne she attempted to flee.

She has been charged with Forgery, a felony, and Possession of Stolen Property.

Justice of the Peace Michael Swingley set bond at $10,000

HELENA – The trial began Monday for the man accused of shooting a woman in Helena last July.

Skyler Schneider is accused of shooting 23-year-old Katherine Spencer as she sat in a car parked on 12th Ave. July 1st.

Opening statements began just before 4:00 p.m. Monday afternoon.

At trial, the state called its first witness, Helena Police Dept. Captain Curt Stinson.

Stinson played a copy of the 911 call prosecutors say is Schneider reporting that a woman had been shot in a vehicle on 12th Ave. and was bleeding badly.

Court documents say moments later the same man, Schneider came back north through the alley and was detained.

When police approached the vehicle, they found Spencer in the passenger seat suffering from a single gunshot wound to the head.

Police also described a single bullet hole in windshield directly in front of Spencer, and a spent 9MM shell casing outside the vehicle.

Police searched an area where a neighbor reported seeing Schneider following what the neighbor said sounded like fireworks. Detectives reported finding a 9MM semi-automatic handgun in that same area.

During questioning, police said Schneider denied shooting Spencer but did say the two had been in an argument earlier that evening.

Schneider has denied shooting Spencer. If convicted he faces up to 100 years in prison.

PREVIOUS:
Schneider makes initial court appearance
Coroner identifies victim of fatal shooting
One arrested for deliberate homicide in Helena

GREAT FALLS – Melissa Renee Damron faces charges after a Montana Highway Patrol trooper allegedly found marijuana residue and methamphetamine inside her vehicle.

According to court documents, a trooper saw a vehicle traveling 42 miles per hour in a 35 mph zone on River Drive North on May 12.

The trooper initiated a traffic stop, contacted the driver, and noticed an infant in the vehicle.

The documents state that the driver’s eyes were opened wide and her speech was rapid.

The driver, identified as Damron, admitted to speeding and to not wearing a seat belt.

The trooper noted an odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle and Damron consented to having her vehicle searched.

The court documents state that the trooper found an orange pill bottle with marijuana residue inside and a clear vial containing a crystalline substance. Other containers also smelled of marijuana and had marijuana shake inside.

Damron withdrew her consent to search and another trooper administered a Miranda warning.

Damron was shown the clear vial and she admitted to owning the bag where the vial and pill bottle were found.

The crystalline substance tested positive for methamphetamine and a marijuana pipe was found in the center console.

Damron, 40 years old, has been charged with felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs and two misdemeanors for criminal possession of drug paraphernalia and speeding.

Damron’s bond was set at $25,000 and she posted bail.

Based on the court documents, Damron was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the incident.

GREAT FALLS – Elias Rodriguez has been charged after allegedly hitting three Cascade County Detention Center officers and spitting on a fourth officer.

According to court documents, a Cascade County sheriff’s deputy responded to the detention center on May 12 for a report of an inmate who had assaulted several detention officers.

The documents state that Rodriguez, who was arrested in February for assault and kidnapping, had been instructed to return to his cell when he rushed out of a shower stall fully-clothed and hit two officers.

While detention staff were taking Rodriguez to the ground he struck another officer in the forehead.

The documents state that Rodriguez continued to fight with staff as they removed him from the shower area.

The deputy observed redness, swelling, bruising, and abrasions on the three officers. He also reviewed video surveillance of the incident and found the video consistent with the officer’s reports.

The documents state the deputy learned Rodriguez had spit on a fourth detention officer and thrown his food at her, which was also caught on surveillance tape.

Rodriguez, 27, has been charged with three felony counts of assault on a peace officer or judicial officer and one misdemeanor count for assault with a bodily fluid.

His bond has been set at $25,000.

PHILIPSBURG – The Granite County Sheriff’s office needs help from the public identifying two men suspected of vandalism in Philipsburg last month.

Granite County Sheriff Scott Dunkerson said two men are suspected of kicking in the rear door of the Silver Mill Saloon and damaging a nearby greenhouse early on April 29th.

Video surveillance cameras captured images of the two men suspected in the vandalism, but investigators have not been able to identify the men.

Dunkerson said investigators suspect the men may be from Butte.

Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact the Granite County Sheriff’s Office at (406) 859-3251.

-John Emeigh reporting for MTN

ANACONDA – A 64-year-old Anaconda woman was found murdered in her East Part Street home Tuesday and Butte police have the man suspected of that murder in custody.

Anaconda Police Chief Tim Barkell said police found Shelley Schafer dead from wounds to the head in her residence, a duplex at 709 E. Park Street about 1:50 p.m. Tuesday. On Wednesday, Butte police arrested Troy Johnson, 53, in connection with the Anaconda murder.

Investigators believe Schafer was hit with a blunt object at least two times in the head. The victim’s vehicle, credit cards, cash and some jewelry were missing. Johnson, who is from Billings, is believed to have been living in the duplex owned by the victim’s family without permission at the time of the murder, Barkell said.

Butte police were involved in a vehicle pursuit with Johnson about 3 a.m. Wednesday morning. During the pursuit, Johnson crashed the vehicle at Holmes Avenue and Hansen Road and ran away. Police captured him a few hours later and he remains in custody.

This is an on-going investigation and this story will be updated as new information becomes available.

-John Emeigh reporting for MTN

BOZEMAN – An Anaconda man was arrested in Bozeman on Tuesday after Montana Highway Patrol troopers allegedly observed his Peterbilt commercial truck swerving across lanes on the interstate.

Court documents state that MHP received reports of a Digby truck heading eastbound between the 19th and 7th Street exits, “swerving all over the road.” Two MHP troopers located Michael Todd Moore, 48, at the intersection of 7th and Interstate 90.

According to the reporting trooper, Moore proceeded onto I-90 and was observed driving across lanes several times. After he allegedly failed to acknowledge the MHP vehicle’s lights and siren, the troopers drove up next to the truck, noting that Moore appeared to be almost asleep before he pulled over.

Moore reportedly stumbled out of the truck, had glossy, bloodshot eyes, and smelled of alcohol. The trooper stated that Moore failed field sobriety tests and refused all breath tests.

As the troopers were securing Moore’s truck, they reported finding two open cans of Steel Reserve malt liquor inside.

According to court documents, Moore agreed to speak with the trooper after being read his rights and said he thought he was at a Town Pump on I-15.

Moore appeared in Gallatin County Justice Court on Wednesday. His bail was set at $1500.

BILLINGS – The former resident of the largest home ever built in Billings is facing federal charges for allegedly faking his own abduction in Virginia in a scheme to “disappear” with his mistress last month.

Larry Price was charged in U.S. District Court in Virginia with giving false statements to investigators.

Price, who developed the 26,000-square-foot mansion in the Ironwood subdivision on the West End, has been living in Bluefield, Va.

According to documents filed in Yellowstone County District Court, Price defaulted on a loan from Three Blind Mice LLC and owes over $11 million.

The home on Canyonwood Drive is valued at $10.34 million and is owned by Three Blind Mice LLC, according to the Yellowstone County tax assessor.

Price’s wife, Amy, reported him missing on April 18 around 2 a.m. in Virginia.

He hadn’t been seen since 8 p.m. the night before, according to court documents.

The police department and sheriff’s office began a missing person investigation, which included the help of K9 units, helicopters and hundreds of federal, state and local authorities.

Police used cell phone pinging technology to locate Price’s white Mercedes with Montana plates in a parking lot in Tazewell County.

Price was located the following night by a driver who noticed him on the side of the road.

Price was taken to the hospital, where he was interviewed by police.

He had $3,774 in his pocket at the time, according to court documents.

Price first claimed he had been kidnapped by two unknown men, but later said the abduction may be related to a debt he owed.

Price altered his story to suggest members of a “pagan” biker gang drugged, robbed and held him against his will. He said the men held a rag soaked in chemicals to his face, making him disoriented.

Price told police the kidnappers took him by van to his business, Hawg Pit Cycles, and stole belongings from his store safe.

Price said there was no surveillance footage at his shop, but police did find video recordings which showed no evidence of any disturbance or altercation at the shop.

After the robbery, Price alleged the men took him to an unknown area and threw him out of the van.

Price said he had connections to a railroad and was coerced by the Pagan biker gang to facilitate the transport of methamphetamine by rail, according to court documents.

Investigators later made contact with a woman who worked at a nearby restaurant.

The woman admitted she developed an occasional intimacy with Price and said they had conversations about wanting to disappear.

The woman went to Walmart to purchased Red Bull, Coke, chips, socks, underwear and towels, along with a cell phone for their new life together at her father’s vacant home in Tazewell.

Price was found about 2 miles from the home he had planned to live at with the woman.

According to the CBS News affiliate in Bluefield, the judge ordered Price to remain in custody on a $500,000 bond.

Reporting by Aja Goare for MTN News

GREAT FALLS – Alesia “Lisa” Lappe, the former secretary of the Montana High School Rodeo Association, has been charged with embezzling several thousand dollars.

Lappe is charged with one count of theft by embezzlement by common scheme in Beaverhead County District Court.

According to court documents, Lappe started working for the association in March 2015 and was let go in December 2017.

Court documents state Lappe wrote several checks to herself and she also made several debits to the account without the association’s approval.

When Lappe was asked about it, she reportedly told police that she used the checks to pay off two loans.

She reportedly also used the money to buy things for her family.

Court documents state that Lappe told investigators that “there were times when she was short on money so she would over-pay herself to buy things for herself or her kids because she has a difficult time saying no to her kids.”

Court documents state she stole more than $38,000 from the association.

BILLINGS – Wesley Couture, a man with nine DUI convictions, was arrested by Billings police on Tuesday for allegedly driving drunk and soliciting oral sex from a woman he picked up.

Couture, 60 years old, was scheduled to appear in Yellowstone County Justice Court on Wednesday on one count each of felony driving under the influence and misdemeanor prostitution.

Officers were dispatched at around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday to a report of a disturbance.

A woman was fighting with Couture, who she said tried to pay her for oral sex.

The woman said she was walking when Couture pulled up in a vehicle and asked if she needed a ride.

Though the woman did not know Couture, she agreed and got into the vehicle.

The woman said Couture drove her up to the Rims, pulled his pants down and asked her to perform oral sex.

Officers located Couture near the intersection of Swords Lane and E. Airport Road and he smelled of alcohol.

Couture allegedly admitted giving the woman a ride and said she asked him for $20.

Couture said he gave her $20 but asked for it back when she refused to perform oral sex.

The woman apparently told Couture she believed she earned the money through conversation with him.

Officers found an open beer container in Couture’s vehicle and four empty bottles.

Couture allegedly admitting consuming four alcoholic beverages and was then arrested.

Couture has at least nine drunk driving offenses on his record, spanning from 1988 to 2003.

He was released from the Montana State Prison in 2014.

He’s being held at the Yellowstone County jail.

BOZEMAN – Police confirmed that they have identified a suspect in last Friday’s attempted guitar theft at Music Villa guitar shop in Bozeman.

The suspect’s name has not been released and an arrest has not yet been made.

Police began investigating after a man was caught Friday by surveillance video walking out of Music Villa with a guitar.

“Totally, just a normal day, it was just, everything happened so fast,” said Paul Decker, owner at Music Villa.

It was a normal day until things went south when a thief attempted to steal a guitar.

“The guy came in, roughly around noon, and basically grabbed a guitar, sat down, and then immediately walked out the back door,” Decker said.

Decker estimates the whole ordeal happened in under two minutes.

But thanks to a timely encounter with a store employee in the back alley, the thief left the store the same way he came in: empty-handed.

“The employee kind of had a little confusion, about why there’s a guitar with a tag hanging on it, talked to him and said, ‘Where’s your receipt?’ And basically, he handed over the guitar, ripped off the tag, and ran down the alleyway,” Decker said.

The thief tried to take a Taylor acoustic guitar, worth $1,499. That amount is just one dollar short of being able to bring on possible felony charges.

But because of Music Villa’s high-tech surveillance system, along with a little help from Facebook sleuths, they were one step closer to finding their attempted thief.

“We put [the surveillance pictures] on Facebook, and I think it was within two days it just went crazy,” Decker said.

The post had close to 700 shares, and more than 60,000 views and Decker said the outreach is symbolic of Bozeman as a community.

“That’s the cool part about all of this is you know, something like that in our community, people do not like a thief and it really kind of came to our behalf and spread the word,” he said.

Decker said he believes the action on Facebook helped lead police to the possible suspect. He also said the unnamed suspect is someone he believes he has seen in his store before.

But Decker does have one message for anyone who might be thinking pulling a fast one: “Don’t steal guitars, it’s just not good karma.”

The investigation is being conducted by the Bozeman Police Department.

Reporting by Kaitlin Corbett for MTN News

BOZEMAN – Shawn Robert Arrants, 40, and Daniel Gavinsky, 30, both appeared in Gallatin County courtrooms Wednesday, and their alleged crimes share a connection.

Arrants made his initial appearance in District Court on charges of theft, eluding a law enforcement officer, and burglary, while Gavinski appeared in Justice Court for one charge of criminal possession of dangerous drugs.

The charges stem from a string of incidents that began on the night of April 26, on I-90 in Butte.

Charging documents say that Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement was alerted by MHP to a vehicle traveling on I-90, that had been involved in possession of stolen firearms, ammunition, and reloading supplies. The driver of that vehicle was Arrants, who already had a pending charge for possession of dangerous drugs in Butte-Silver Bow County.

When Law Enforcement attempted to make the traffic stop at the Continental Drive exit in Butte, Arrants took off, leading authorities on an hour-long high-speed chase. The chase was eventually called off, and Arrants abandoned the vehicle on Jackson Street in Butte.

Inside of the vehicle, authorities found firearms and ammunition, along with other stolen gear, enough for authorities to issue warrants for criminal endangerment, theft and reckless elusion Arrants’ name.

The search for Arrants resumed almost two weeks later on May 7, and this is where Gavinsky plays a role, and where Arrants picked up the charges he now faces in Gallatin County.

Law enforcement officers received a tip that Arrants was driving a vehicle near Whitehall, that same vehicle was registered to Gavinsky.

Charging documents say that after several maneuvers to avoid pursuing law enforcement through Three Forks, Arrants abandoned the vehicle, attempted to steal two cars, and led authorities on a foot pursuit before he was finally detained near Oak Street in Three Forks.

When the vehicle was searched, authorities found ammunition reloading supplies, and two backpacks containing methamphetamine, one belonging to Arrants, the other to Gavinsky.

As they await their fates in the Gallatin County Detention Center, Arrants is held on $500,000 bail and Gavinsky on $10,000 bail.

Arrants has a previous charge of felony assault with a weapon, and strangulation of a partner or family member. Gavinsky has previously been charged for criminal possession of dangerous drugs.

Reporting by Kaitlin Corbett for MTN News

GREAT FALLS – The United States Attorney’s Office announced on Thursday that Jay Nash of Great Falls pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering during a federal court hearing on Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris.

Nash faces a federal prison sentence of up to 30 years, a $500,000 fine, and restitution of more than $800,000.

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in an Offer of Proof, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Weldon and Thomas Bartelson stated the Government would have proved Nash obtained a warranty deed on the property owned by a victim.

The parties entered into a Promissory Note, which outlined that Nash would pay the victim an amount equal to the value of the house. The Promissory Note was secured by a mortgage, which was never filed with Cascade County.

Four months later, Nash took out mortgages on the property totaling more than $180,000. Nash ultimately sold the property and did not give the proceeds of the sale to the victim.

As part of the investigation, agents tracked where Nash spent the victim’s money from the two mortgages and the ultimate sale of the house. Agents discovered that Nash spent the money on boats, furniture, sex toys, his mother’s house, and other unrelated living expenses. None of those expenditures were approved by the victim, nor was the money given for that purpose.

The investigation also revealed three other victims.

Similarly, Nash entered into promissory notes with these additional victims and spent the money on unauthorized purchases, including ATVs, tax payments to the IRS, and a motorhome. In one example, Nash spent over $430,000 of victim money in less than 120 days.

Sentencing is set for September 27 at 10:00 a.m., at the Missouri River Courthouse in Great Falls.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and local law enforcement.

Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers announced Thursday they seized 50 pounds of methamphetamine worth more than $425,000 in an April traffic stop in Sweetwater County, and they’re trying to figure out who’s responsible.

The troopers said they found the stash in two manufactured compartments added on to a white Chevy Colorado pickup being transported with two other vehicles on a tractor trailer.

The tractor-trailer was stopped for a commercial vehicle inspection on Interstate 80, and troopers allege they found inconsistencies in the paperwork for the delivery destination and began the search. Sweetwater County is in southeast Wyoming on the Colorado border.

After getting the driver’s permission, the troopers used a drug dog, who smelled illegal drugs and prompted a further search, according to a Wyoming Highway Patrol news release.

They found 23 packages of crystal meth in the two compartments, according to the news release.

Troopers said the driver is not a suspect probably didn’t know about the meth or the hidden compartments. The Wyoming Highway Patrol and Division of Criminal Investigation are continuing the investigation.

BILLINGS – The Special K Ranch in Columbus is denying allegations made by a Georgia man who claims his disabled son was sexually assaulted at the facility.

The complaint filed against the Special K Ranch in U.S. District Court in Billings earlier this month alleges five counts of wrongdoing, including negligence and breach of duty.

According to its website, the Special K Ranch provides “family oriented Christian homes, on a working ranch for adults who have developmental disabilities.”

The plaintiff’s son is developmentally delayed and “particularly vulnerable to abuse and neglect,” according to the complaint. The complaint refers to the son as a minor but does not state his age.

Special K Ranch Executive Director Mike Oberg confirmed the plaintiff’s son had stayed at the facility for a couple of days in 2017 and said the resident was 20 at the time.

After one of his visits to the facility, the victim reportedly acted “unusually, being (very) quiet, unwilling to change his clothes or bathe, and isolate himself.”

The resident’s counselor suspected the victim was sexually assaulted, according to the complaint.

The resident’s mother scheduled a sexual assault exam, which allegedly revealed evidence that the resident had been raped.

The plaintiff argues that his son is not capable of consenting to sexual contact due to his condition.

Oberg said he’s never met the plaintiff and added that the allegations come as a shock.

“We don’t even know when the opportunity (for the rape) could have arose,” said Oberg on Friday. “We’ve had the sheriff’s office out here investigating and they didn’t find anything. This is the first we’ve heard of it in six months.”

Oberg said the Special K Ranch will fight the lawsuit.

“I think, unfortunately any more, nonprofits, especially Christian non-profits, are really becoming a target,” said Oberg.

The complaint alleges that the Special K Ranch never notified the victim’s family, the Montana Department of Family Services, or law enforcement.

The plaintiff also alleges that Special K Ranch failed to seek counseling or medical care for his son and did not ensure he was safe from future assaults.

The complaint claims the Special K Ranch owed a duty to the victim to keep him safe from harm and also alleges the defendant tried to cover up the assault.

As a result of the assault, the victim has reportedly suffered psychological and physical pain, as well as anxiety.

The plaintiff is requesting damages of more than $75,000.

Reporting by Aja Goare for MTN News

POPLAR – Nearly one year after a Poplar man was beaten to death outside a convenience store, one of the three suspects charged in Fort Peck Tribal Court has been charged in federal court.

Errol Longee, 35, is charged in U.S. District Court in Billings with one count of second-degree murder.

Longee is accused in the murder of Patrick Mitchell, who died after an assault on July 1.

The case was filed in April but it wasn’t unsealed until last week.

According to the federal charges, Longee killed Mitchell with malice aforethought and aided and abetted the same.

While the documents filed most recently in federal court provide limited information, the charges filed in tribal court last year offer more information about the deadly assault.

Four suspects, including Longee, were initially charged in tribal court.

Those documents described the hours leading up to the assault behind TJ’s Quick Stop in Poplar.

An 18-year-old woman confronted Mitchell about abusing her years earlier and began punching him, according to tribal court documents.

The woman told authorities that Mitchell was letting her punch him and kept saying he was sorry.

Longee allegedly joined in on the assault and punched the victim 10 to 12 times.

One of the other suspects charged in tribal court, Darren Simmons, allegedly told a witness he “stomped on” the victim’s head and killed him.

According to tribal court documents, Simmons admitted he killed the victim.

“I killed him,” Simmons said. “I did it, case closed.”

Simmons has not been charged with the murder in federal court.

Reporting by Aja Goare for MTN News