courts Stories by Jeff Smith of Anderson Broadcasting for the Valley Journal
Miller pleads not guilty to criminal possession
POLSON — A Polson woman is facing criminal charges after being caught with large amounts of various drugs. Beverly Yvonne Miller, 37, entered a plea of not guilty at District Court in Polson Feb. 3 to two felony counts of criminal possession with intent to distribute and two felony counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs. According to court records, on Jan. 11, a law enforcement officer with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes observed Miller
operating a vehicle and knew she was wanted on an active warrant. The officer stopped the vehicle and could see a small baggie in an open purse in Beverly Miller the vehicle. After being advised of her rights, Miller allegedly admitted to there being drugs in the vehicle, saying it was “more than a little.” The investigating officer obtained a search warrant to search the vehicle.
During the search officers allegedly located a quart sized zip-lock baggie with four ounces of methamphetamine, a bag of empty baggies, digital scale, small safe, over $600 in cash, an Altoids tin containing Xanax pills, 18 hydrocodone pills and a magnet box that contained three bags, each containing about 100 small M-30 fentanyl pills. District Judge Deborah “Kim” Christopher set a sentencing date of May 9. Miller remains in the Lake County jail with bail set at $65,000.
Vaska pleads not guilty to felony DUI POLSON — A Lake County man with eight prior DUIs is now facing his ninth. Harlan Gerald Vaska, 57, entered a plea of not guilty at District Court in Polson on Feb. 3 to felony DUI. According to charging documents, on May 16, 2021, a Lake County Sheriff ’s deputy observed a vehicle driving “ab-
normally slow and swerving.” The vehicle was driving with it’s wheels in Harlan Vaska the dirt and off the roadway. The vehicle almost came to a stop while turning onto anoth-
er road then pulled off the roadway and parked. The deputy pulled in behind the vehicle and turned on the patrol car’s emergency lights. The deputy got out of the patrol car, approached the suspect’s vehicle and identified Vaska as the driver. Vaska told the deputy that he was fine and just trying to get home. He admit-
ted to having a couple of drinks earlier, but refused to perform field sobriety tests or provide a breath sample. Investigators had to obtain a search warrant for a blood draw at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center. Judge Deborah “Kim” Christopher set a trial date of June 13. Vaska is being held without bond.
Cleveland pleads not guilty to possession POLSON — A Lolo man is accused of trafficking large amounts of illegal drugs in Lake County. Jay Le Cleveland, 45, entered a plea of not guilty at District Court in Polson Feb. 2 to two counts of felony criminal possession with intent to distribute. According to court records, 22 - February 9, 2022
on Jan. 12, law enforcement responded to a report of a man slumped over the steering wheel of a vehicle in the parking lot of a grocery
Jay Le Cleveland
store at 10:30 a.m. The man was identified as Cleveland, who was already on probation. Cleveland’s probation officer gave the responding law enforcement agency permission to search Cleveland’s vehicle. The search allegedly turned up a digital scale, 32 grams of methamphetamine and 179 fentanyl Valley Journal
Onesalt pleads not guilty to criminal possession POLSON — A Polson man is accused of possessing more than $20,000 worth of illegal drugs. Justin Duane Onesalt, 33, entered a plea of not guilty at District Court in Polson Feb. 3 to three felony counts of criminal possession with intent to distribute. According to court records, on Jan. 20, a Flathead Tribal Police officer received information that Onesalt, who is on probation, was possibly trafficking drugs. The officer observed Onesalt enter his residence with a green backpack. The officer was requested by Onesalt’s probation officer to arrest Onesalt and search his residence. A search of the residence turned up numerous shotguns, rifles, and drug paraphernalia. Onesalt was in the bathroom, resisted arrest and brought under control after being incapacitat-
pills with the “M-30” stamp. Cleveland’s attorney, Justin Kalmbach of Polson, motioned for an own recognizance release. Prosecutor James Lapokta, with the Lake County Attorney’s Office, objected arguing that Cleveland already has three prior felonies and is on a $100,000 probation hold. In denying the
ed by a stun gun. A search of the green backpack turned Justin Onesalt up $3,318 cash, 169 grams of methamphetamine, 12 grams of heroin, 39 blue counterfeit fentanyl pills, a green memo book containing a drug ledger, digital scale and Onesalt’s identification card. Prosecutor James Lapotka with the Lake County Attorney’s office estimated the street value of the drugs at $20,000. District Judge Deborah “Kim” Christopher denied a reduction in bond and set the case for trial May 23. Onesalt remains in the Lake County jail with bail totaling $250,000 according to the jail roster.
own recognizance release, Judge James Manley inquired about a recent overdose death in Lake County involving fentanyl. Lapotka confirmed that an 18 or 19-year-old person recently died from a fentanyl overdose in the St. Ignatius area. Judge Manley set a trial date of July 18.
