Courts

Lake County Dispatch receives upgrades

Story by Jeff Smith of Anderson Broadcasting for the Valley Journal

POLSON — Mark Clary, the director for Lake County’s Office of Emergency Management, couldn’t be more pleased with the recent improvements made to the County’s emergency dispatch center. He says “miles of old wire” were removed from the ceiling. Now each of the four workstations has its own climate and color ambient setting. The workstations can also be lowered for using a chair or raised if a dispatcher would like to stand. There is also a fifth workstation for the center’s supervisor and a training station. That’s not including an offsite backup dispatch center that is equipped with two workstations identical to all the others.

The entire dispatch center is now compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and there is more functionality to the workspace.

Dispatchers worked out of the off-site backup center for about two months while the new center was upgraded. Clary says the upgrades also included the first in the state Harris radio system that runs in analog or digital mode. He says when the switch to digital eventually happens, they will be ready. He says Ravalli County is the only other County in Montana to have the Harris radio system. Clary thanked the Lake County Board of Commissioners for recognizing the benefits of investing funds into the new dispatch center.

courts

Right: Lake County’s emergency dispatch center recently received numerous updates that make it ADA compliant.

JEFF SMITH PHOTO

Stories by Jeff Smith of Anderson Broadcasting for the Valley Journal

Bullen sentenced for sexual assault

POLSON — A Polson man was sentenced at District Court in Polson on Jan. 5 to 19 years in the Montana State Prison with 15 years suspended on the amended charge of sexual assault. Isaac Fourbear Bullen, 22, was initially charged with the more serious crime of sexual intercourse without consent, but the charge was amended to sexual assault as part of a plea agreement.

According to court records, on June 10 Polson police were paged out to Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson on a report that staff was treating a possible rape victim. The victim was identified as a Jane Doe, age 13. She stated she was raped by Bullen in a red Dodge Durango. Doe’s mother stated that she found out her daughter was “chatting” with Bullen on a social media platform a few days prior to June 10. She also stated that she woke up about 3:30 a.m. on June 10 to find her daughter had left their home. The mom then went driving around to look for her daughter. When Jane Doe returned around 7 a.m., she told her mother she had been raped and that Bullen had gotten her “high and drunk.” Bullen allegedly told police that he had “snap chatted” with Jane Doe but that he never met her in person. Bullen also stated that he had purchased a six pack of alcoholic beverages and messaged Jane Doe prior to leaving his house at about 2:30 a.m. with the intent to meet up with Doe. He says she never showed up, so he left the alcohol behind some bushes near Linderman Elementary School. Bullen refused to provide a DNA sample. A search of the Dodge Durango turned up a box of condoms. Jane Doe’s grandmother contacted Polson Police and provided them with an Air Jordan hooded sweatshirt that Jane Doe claimed to belong to Bullen.

Officials at the Montana State Crime Lab were able to match Bullen’s DNA with DNA collected from Jane Doe.

District Judge Deborah “Kim” Christopher gave Bullen credit for already having served 209 days in the Lake County jail.

Isaac Bullen

Caye pleads not guilty to distribution of dangerous drugs

POLSON — A Polson man is accused of selling the deadly drug fentanyl to an undercover drug agent on three separate occasions. Jalen Douglas Caye, 22, entered a plea of not guilty at District Court in Polson on Jan. 4 to three felony counts of criminal distribution of dangerous drugs. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 25 years for a total of 75 years in prison.

According to court records, on July 21, a confidential informant was fitted with a transmitter for tracking and recording purposes and given $120 to purchase three oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. The CI then went to Caye’s location and was able to purchase 2 and a half pills for $100 and returned the balance of the money to

see page 9

Hammer sentenced for strangulation

Story by Jeff Smith of Anderson Broadcasting for the Valley Journal

POLSON — A Polson man was committed at District Court in Polson on Jan. 5 to a total of 11 years with the Montana Department of Corrections with 6 years suspended. Patrick Lee Hammer, Jr., 26, pleaded guilty during an earlier court appearance to felony charges of strangulation of a partner or family member, criminal possession with intent to distribute and bail jumping. The plea was entered as part of a global plea agreement that dismisses two counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and resolves five total cases involving five separate criminal charges.

According to court records, on July 26, 2021, Hammer picked his girlfriend up by grabbing her around the throat. The bail jumping charge is for missing a court appearance on one of the drug possession charges that was dismissed. On the criminal possession with intent to distribute charge, Hammer admitted to dealing fentanyl. According to the charging documents, on Oct. 4 Hammer was the subject of a traffic stop. A search of his vehicle turned up $700 in cash in a wallet, $1,247 cash in his front pocket and five halved and one full blue fentanyl pill. Law enforcement also located a notebook with drug related information in it and a mobile device that contained texts referring to drug sales. When questioned, Hammer admitted that he had recently traveled to Spokane and brought back 200 blue pills. He said he picked up another 150 pills for distribution in Lake County on Oct. 3. He told the arresting officer that he buys the pills for $15 in Spokane and sells them for $20 in Lake County.

The Lake County jail roster shows Hammer has already served 94 days in jail as of the Jan. 5 sentencing date.

Caye pleads not guilty

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Deputies with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The CI made two more controlled purchases of fentanyl laced pills: one on July 26 involving 9 pills for $300 and another July 27 involving 7 pills for $360.

Judge Molly Owen set the case for trial June 5 and set Caye’s bail at $30,000. vj

Mahseelah pleads not guilty to negligent homicide

Story by Jeff Smith of Anderson Broadcasting for the Valley Journal

POLSON — Judge Molly Owen set a trial date of June 5 for a St. Ignatius man accused of killing his friend and fellow party attendee. Tommy Van Mahseelah, 18, entered a plea of not guilty at District Court in Polson on Jan. 4 to felony charges of negligent homicide and accidents involving a deceased person.

According to court records, on Nov. 19 about a dozen underage kids went up Mission Dam Road to celebrate after the St. Ignatius Bulldogs won the state championship football game. The youths consumed alcohol and drove back to St. Ignatius in four separate vehicles. At one point, one of the vehicles carrying passenger David Hammer stopped so a more sober driver could take over driving duties. However, Hammer did not get back in and was left along the roadside. A short time later, Mahseelah came by driving his flatbed truck with camouflage paint job and allegedly struck Hammer with his truck. Hammer’s body was discovered by his own mother who was out looking for her son. She had already come across Mahseelah who indicated to her that Hammer was already back in town.

Lifesaving efforts were administered to Hammer by an ambulance crew, but Hammer died of his injuries. He was declared dead at 3:42 the morning of Nov. 20. Based on witness statements, investigators turned their focus on Mahseelah. When questioned, Mahseelah admitted that his vehicle was the last to leave the party. He indicated that his windshield was fogged up. He also allegedly admitted that he saw something in the road and thought it was just snow before hitting the object. He said when he and his passengers got out to see what they struck, they allegedly found Hammer face down in the roadway. They reportedly rolled Hammer onto his back and realized Hammer was not breathing. At some point they came across Mahseelah’s mother and lied to her about her son’s whereabouts. Mahseelah remains at liberty awaiting the June 5 trial date.

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