courts Stories by Jeff Smith of Anderson Broadcasting for the Valley Journal
Chinnock sentenced for girlfriend’s murder By Taylor Davison Valley Journal
AURORA, COLORADO — A Polson man who pled guilty to the murder of his girlfriend earlier this year was sentenced in Aurora District Court on July 12. Dakota Chinnock, 21, has been sentenced to serve a total 60 years behind bars for the kidnapping and murder of Amanda Farley, 20, also of Polson. Chinnock was sentenced to the maximum
48 years for second-degree murder and an additional 12 years for kidnapping, both sentences to be run consecutively. According to the Dakota charging Chinnock documents, on Sept. 5, 2021, Aurora police responded to the City Center Station Apartments at 7:58 a.m. following the report of a
Nonresident hunters can check their Alternates List status online News from MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks
HELENA – Nonresident hunters who registered to be placed on the Alternates List can now check their status on MyFWP: https:// myfwp.mt.gov/fwpExtPortal/ myDrawResult_input.action. Every year, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks gets several unused nonresident combination licenses (big game, general elk and general deer combination licenses) returned by customers. FWP resells these returned licenses through the Alternate’s List. After registration for the list closed on June 30, the list was randomized. The hunter in the uppermost randomized position on the list will be contacted by email to finalize the purchase of the license, and so on until the returned nonresident combo licenses are exhausted. 8 - July 27, 2022
woman unconscious and not breathing. Chinnock, who made the 911 call, had a fresh scratch on his forehead and right thigh according to officers and his hands were sullied with dirt and blood. The victim’s boyfriend since their time at Polson High School, Chinnock was arrested after further questioning, interviews with witnesses and the discovery of a green propane tank believed to be used as a weapon. Originally charged with
four separate felonies for first degree murder, deliberate homicide, rape, and sexual assault with a weapon, Chinnock pleaded guilty in May to lesser charges of second-degree murder and kidnapping, as well as a crime of violence count which is a sentence enhancer. The sentence was handed down by Arapahoe County Judge Elizabeth Ann Weishaupl. Chinnock will serve his 60 years in a Colorado Department of Corrections prison.
Quinones pleads not guilty to endangerment POLSON — A Polson man is accused of making some poor driving decisions while reportedly late for work. Carlos Florentino Quinones, 26, entered a plea of not guilty at District Court in Polson on July 20 to felony criminal endangerment. According to court records, on June 10, Carlos Montana Highway Quinones Patrol Trooper Andy Ivanoff was conducting a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 93 near mile marker 56 with his emergency lights activated. That’s when a white vehicle passed at a high rate of speed. Trooper Ivanoff left the traffic stop to engage the white vehicle as other complaints on the white vehicle came in. Trooper
Ivanoff observed the white vehicle swerve in and out of traffic, cutting other vehicles off and forced at least one motorist off the road. Meanwhile Trooper Wayne Bieber got behind the white vehicle and activated his emergency lights. This did not stop the white vehicle nor slow it down. However, the white vehicle turned off U. S. Highway 93 onto Mud Creek Road before stopping. The driver was identified as Quinones. Quinones admitted to seeing Trooper Ivanoff at the traffic stop with his emergency lights activated and that he failed to slow down. Quinones said he was late for work. While Trooper Ivanoff was speaking with Quinones, another motorist pulled up to report they had been forced off the road by Quinones. Judge Molly Owen set the case for trial Jan. 3, 2023. Quinones remains at liberty. Valley Journal
Garza pleads guilty to possession POLSON — A sentencing date of Sept. 7 has been set for a Washington State man who admitted to dealing large amounts of methamphetamine in Lake County. Luis Alfredo Garza, 35, Luis Garza entered a plea of guilty to criminal possession with intent to distribute at District Court in Polson on July 20 before Judge Molly Owen. According to court records, on April 30, Ronan Police Officer Jonathan Gilliland observed a suspicious vehicle. The license plate on the vehicle did not match any vehicle prompting a traffic stop. The driver allegedly lied about his identity. He had no registration nor proof of insurance. The driver said he was from Texas and had recently purchased the vehicle. The driver consented to emptying his pockets after advising Officer Gilliland that he had a screwdriver in his sweatshirt. The officer located a suspected meth pipe during a pat down. After being placed under arrest, Officer Gilliland was able to determine that the suspect he arrested was Garza. The vehicle Garza was driving was seized and Officer Gilliland obtained a search warrant for the vehicle. The subsequent search turned up a green backpack. Inside the backpack, Officer Gilliland located 180 grams of methamphetamine, digital scale and electronic devices. A review of the electronic devices revealed information pertaining to Garza. Lake County Attorney James Lapokta says the guilty plea came as part of a plea agreement that calls for Garza being committed to the Montana Department of Corrections for five years with no time suspended.
