Courts

Stories by Jeff Smith of Anderson Broadcasting for the Valley Journal

George found guilty of rape

Zimmerer pleads not guilty to strangulation, kidnapping

POLSON — An Elmo man has been found guilty of rape by way of a plea agreement. Tristan Tesh Palouse George, 22, entered a “no contest” plea at District Court in Polson Feb. 24 to sexual intercourse without consent. In a “no contest” plea, a defendant concedes the case based on the state’s evidence. It still results in a conviction.

According to court records, on June 23, 2021, a woman reported to law enforcement that she had been raped by George, an acquaintance she knew from high school. She told responding investigators that she and George had met up through social media and agreed to hang out at the Elmo docks that day. She said after consuming alcohol together she momentarily “blacked out.” She said the next thing she remembered was George touching her inappropriately before blacking out again. When she awakened a

second time, George was pulling off her pants and proceeding to rape her. She said she was too intoxicated to give consent or fully understand what was happening. George’s attorney, Justin Kalmbach of Polson, told the court that his client was intoxicated when Tristan the incident occurred and George didn’t remember what happened, thus the “no contest” plea. The plea agreement calls for a joint recommendation of sentencing being deferred for six years. Judge Deborah “Kim” Christopher set sentencing for April 14. George is at liberty.

Three inmates charged with criminal mischief

News from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office

POLSON — On Feb. 23 at around 7 p.m., three inmates in the Lake County Detention Center intentionally damaged a bunk in one of the cell blocks. While causing this damage, one of the inmates sustained a minor cut to his head and was transported to the hospital by detention staff to staple the injury. The inmates responsible for the damage are Marcus Azure, 37, of Ronan, Joseph

Couture, 30, of Ronan, and Donald Mcleod, 32, of Ronan. All have been cited for misdemeanor criminal mischief by Flathead Tribal Police. They remain in the Lake Donald McLeod County Jail on their current criminal cases.

Joseph Couture

Marcus Azure

POLSON — A Polson man is facing a trial in July on domestic abuse charges. Susep Victor Zimmerer, 22, entered a plea of not guilty at District Court in Polson on Feb. 16 to felony charges of strangulation of a partner or family member, assault, and kidnapping.

According to court records, on Jan. 31 a woman arrived at the emergency room of Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson to be treated for injuries consistent with being assaulted. The woman had suffered numerous injuries including a lip laceration, broken tooth, extensive bruising throughout her upper extremities, bruising on her arms, and redness on her neck. The alleged victim told investigators that she was asleep when her boyfriend, Zimmerer, hit her left thigh. She said she attempted to grab her purse to leave but Zimmerer took her purse and wouldn’t let her leave. She said he continued to assault her in “cycles” from about 2 to 5 a.m. At one point she said she’d thought she would die. She said Zimmerer, after pinning her down, became tired and apologized. He said he wouldn’t hurt her anymore and asked her not to tell anyone. She said they went back to bed after that.

District Judge James Manley set this case for trial July 18.

$6M investment in Rapid Workforce Training announced

News from the office of Governor Gianforte

HELENA — Governor Greg Gianforte recently announced a $6 million investment to develop Montana’s workforce and equip hardworking Montanans with in-demand skills.

“As our economy grows, so are opportunities to work in a good-paying job right here in Montana,” Governor Gianforte said. “By making smart, targeted investments in rapid training programs, we can equip hardworking Montanans with the skills they need to thrive in today’s workforce and help Montana employers meet their workforce needs.”

The $6 million grant was awarded to Accelerate Montana, a collaborative partnership led by the University of Montana. Accelerate Montana will establish a series of rapid retraining and upskilling programs that will train up to 5,000 Montanans in sectors such as construction, health care, manufacturing, and infrastructure.

Accelerate Montana will jump-start the programs by partnering with high schools and private, public, and tribal colleges across the state to develop or adapt trainings to meet the needs for skilled positions across priority industries in Montana.

The grant was issued by the Department of Labor & Industry using federal pandemic recovery dollars following the unanimous bipartisan recommendation of the state’s ARPA Economic Transformation and Stabilization and Workforce Development Advisory Commission.

“Employers of jobs requiring specialized skills across Montana need workers,” Montana Department of Labor & Industry Commissioner Laurie Esau said. “This investment will be a shot in the arm for Montana’s economy and strengthen our workforce in key industries across the state.”

“The lifeblood of any business is its employees,” Montana Department of Commerce Director Scott Osterman said. “This program can be adapted to industry and market needs, delivered virtually or in-person, thereby allowing private and public entities the ability

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