courts
Stories by Jeff Smith of Anderson Broadcasting for the Valley Journal
McIntyre pleads guilty to felony DUI POLSON — A St. Ignatius man was committed to the Montana Department of Corrections at District Court in Polson March 2 for 13 months on what prosecutors say is his eighth DUI. Raymond Burton McIntyre, 48, entered a plea of guilty to felony DUI on Dec. 15. According to court records,
on Aug. 7, 2021, as law enforcement officers were patrolling U. S. Highway 93, they observed a Raymond motorcycle pass McIntyre them driving in the opposite direction with no taillights. The
officers began to pursue the motorcycle to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver refused to stop. The motorcycle turned onto Hawkins Road and traveled west bound before sliding into a ditch. The rider, later identified as McIntyre, denied having consumed alcohol. He refused a preliminary breath test. Officers obtained a search warrant for a
Onesalt pleads guilty to possession POLSON — A Polson man has admitted to dealing drugs in Lake County. Justin Duane Onesalt, 33, entered a plea of guilty at District Court in Polson March 3 to felony criminal possession with intent to distribute. The plea Justin was enOnesalt tered as an “open” plea, meaning there is no sentence recommendation, subjecting Onesalt to the maximum punishment allowed by law, 20 years in the Montana State Prison. However, prosecutor James Lapotka with the Lake County Attorney’s office said he would dismiss at sentencing two separate counts of criminal possession with intent to distribute. According to court 8 - March 9, 2022
records, on Jan. 20, while Onesalt was on probation stemming from a negligent homicide conviction in 2005, a probation search was conducted at Onesalt’s residence. Onesalt was located in a bathroom, resisted arrest and brought under control after being subdued by a stun gun. The search turned up $3,318 in cash, 169 grams of methamphetamine, 12 grams of heroin and 39 blue counterfeit fentanyl pills. The drugs and cash were located in a green backpack that also contained a drug ledger, digital scale, and Onesalt’s identification card. Lapotka said the drugs have an estimated street value of more than $20,000. Onesalt was on probation from a negligent homicide conviction. In that matter Onesalt was the driver of a vehicle that rolled on Moiese Valley Road June 4, 2005 that
killed his brother Marcus Onesalt. Two other witnesses who survived the rollover told investigators that Onesalt was drinking alcohol and driving erratically prior to the rollover. Onesalt took a preliminary breath test after the crash that showed his blood alcohol content at .14. He was committed to the Montana Department of Corrections for 20 years with 15 years suspended. He has six years left on the suspended portion of that sentence. Judge Christopher insisted Onesalt plead guilty to the criminal possession with intent to distribute charge associated with the fentanyl as fentanyl has been a problem in Lake County in recent months causing multiple overdoses and at least one death. She then set sentencing for April 21 for both matters. Onesalt remains in the Lake County jail with bail totaling $250,000.
Valley Journal
blood draw at St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson. The blood draw showed McIntyre’s blood alcohol content at .218. Lake County Attorney Steve Eschenbacher says although this is McIntyre’s eighth lifetime DUI, it is his first felony, as the other DUI convictions occurred in another jurisdiction. Judge James Manley recom-
mended McIntyre be screened for any appropriate state run programs while serving his 13 months. That will be followed by two years of supervised release. Judge Manley also issued McIntyre a fine of $10,000, but that will be suspended as long as McIntyre successfully completes any of the state run programs.
Brown sentenced to 38 years
POLSON — A former Lake man who was designated a tier three sex offender was sentenced at District Court in Polson March 3, to 38 years in the Montana State Prison with 20 years suspended for violating parole stemming from a rape conviction in 2009. James Dean Brown, 29, admitted to violating terms of his probation by ing drugs and alcohol.
County
James Brown
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Brown was charged with five counts of sexual intercourse without consent for assaulting five children at his mother’s daycare in 2009. Brown was a juvenile at the time of the offense and given 50 years in prison on each count with 38 years suspended. Due to his age at the time, Judge Deborah “Kim” Christopher ran the sentences concurrent to each other for a total of 12 years in prison. Judge Christopher gave Brown credit for having already served 191 days jail time and ordered Brown to successfully complete the state run sex offender, mental health and chemical dependency treatment programs.
Tax filers: keep your address current
News from the Montana Department of Revenue
HELENA — The Montana Department of Revenue has an important message to income tax filers: Keep your mailing address current with the department. This is especially true for anyone filing a Montana income tax return for the first time. That’s because the department sends refunds to firsttime filers only as paper checks – not by direct deposit – due to our security measures to combat fraud. And, the Post Office will not forward your refund check to your new address. That means that if the department has an incorrect address, your refund could be delayed.
Other taxpayers who change their address should also keep the department updated, because the department may attempt to contact you by mail if there are questions about your filing. Changing your address with the Montana Department of Revenue is easy. You can download a change-ofaddress form at MTRevenue.gov or request one from our Call Center at 406- 444-6900. Montanans who haven’t filed state returns in three years or more will also receive any refund on a paper check. Remember, it could take up to 90 days to receive your refund. You can check the status of yours in our TransAction Portal at https://tap.dor. mt.gov.
