Two change of plea hearings and one initial appearance in District Court

Monte Broadbrooks attended a change of plea hearing on Monday, March 13, 2017, in district court, admitting guilt to two counts of misdemeanor theft, and three counts of felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs.

Broadbrooks entered a not guilty plea to the counts on January 30 of this year after he was charged with allegedly stealing hydrocodone pills on several occasions and robbing money from a safe out of the house of a Saco man, according to court records. Broadbrooks was caught on a game camera illegally entering the house.

Sentencing in this case is set for May 8, 2017 at 10 a.m. The State of Montana asked that Broadbrooks’ bail be reduced from $2,000 to $750 and was ordered to follow 11 different conditions of bail including; abiding by a daily curfew from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. unless he is working or on his way to or from work; he shall neither use nor possess any alcoholic beverages or any controlled substances without a legal prescription; may not enter any casino where alcohol is available for consumption or any other establishment where alcohol is the primary item of sale. Broadbrooks may not travel outside of Phillips County without first obtaining a travel permit from the Phillips County Attorney’s Office and he shall seek or maintain employment and he shall not have contact with the victims or witnesses in this case.

State of Montana vs. Ryan Kovach

Ryan Kovachs attended a change of plea hearing on Monday, March 13, 2017, in district court, admitting guilt to misdemeanor unlawful restraint and felony assault and misdemeanor obstructing a police officer, according to court records. In another change of plea hearing the same day, this one involving one count of felony tampering with a witness, Kovach entered a guilty plea.

On October 3, 2016, Kovach was arrested and charged with misdemeanor unlawful restraint, felony aggravated assault, misdemeanor partner assault and misdemeanor obstructing a peace officer.

In the felony tampering with a witness charge, court records allege Kovach purposely or knowingly attempted to induce or otherwise cause a witness to testify or inform falsely. On December 21, a man called the Phillips County Sheriff’s Office to report he had found Kovach hiding in a closet of the caller's Malta home. The caller shared the house with a female who Kovach was ordered to not have any contact with (following the restraint and assault charges.) The caller told Sheriff’s Deputies he had found Kovach in the closet while the female was in the house and he was in the residence without consent. When deputies found Kovach at his parent's home later that day, he denied entry into the home.

Kovach said he had an alibi for the time the incident allegedly took place in the closet. He said a male friend could confirm where he had been during the time. The Sheriff’s Deputy asked Kovach to call the man and have him come to the Sheriff’s Office. In the meantime, Kovach was booked into jail.

The man arrived at the Sheriff’s Office and gave a statement claiming that he and Kovach had been working together during the time in question. The deputy told the man he had evidence that Kovach was not being truthful. The deputy also told the man he believed his statement was false at which point the man became defensive and asked to have an attorney present. The deputy told the man he could be charged with a crime for making a false statement and then told him he was free to leave. The man asked the deputies to tear up the written statement but the deputy said that the statement was now evidence.

Shortly after the man giving Kovach’s alibi left, the deputy again spoke with Kovach and read him his Miranda waiver. The deputy asked Kovach if he stood by his previous statement and let him know there was evidence from a text message that he had been in contact with the woman at the house. Kovach still denied the accusations.

Later that night, the man came back to the Sheriff’s office and admitted that he had lied on the statement, adding Kovach told him to give a false statement to the Sheriff’s office in regard to entering the home and hiding in the closet. The man said he had met Kovach between 4 and 4:30 p.m. that day, had borrowed $60 from Kovach and felt obligated to lie for him.

The State of Montana asked the court to follow plea agreement, recommending six-month consecutive sentences for each offense subjected to the following terms and conditions. Kovach will be under the supervision and control of the Glasgow Misdemeanor Probation Program and abide by and be subjected to all rules and regulations including searches of residents in person, testing of breath, blood or urine and intermediate sanctions of jail for up to 72 hours without a hearing or seeing a judge. . Court records also state Kovach will be placed on a G P S monitor until May 8, 2017.

State of Montana vs. LaWanda Jackson

LaWanda Jackson was charged with felony criminal child endangerment, misdemeanor driving under the influence of alcohol, and misdemeanor driving while suspended or revoked after making her initial appearance in district court on Monday, March 13, 2017. She pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Court records state that on or about Friday, March 3, 2017, Jackson purposely, knowingly, or negligently caused substantial risk of death to a child under 14 years of age by operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol with a child in the vehicle.

At approximately 2:50 p.m., Phillips County Dispatch received a report of a red van stuck in a ditch south of Dodson. The reporting person said there were children in the van and the driver appeared intoxicated. A Montana Highway Patrol Trooper and two Phillips County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the incident. The MHP Trooper saw the van stuck in the ditch and could tell from the tire tracks the van appeared to have been heading southbound when it drifted into the ditch. The driver of the vehicle attempted to get the van out of the ditch and instead had gotten stuck in the snow. The MHP Trooper approached the driver side of the vehicle and spoke with the adult female sitting in the driver seat through the door. He said he could smell the odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle and the driver’s eyes were bloodshot and watery. The Trooper asked the driver for her driver’s license and was told by the driver she didn’t have one. After running Jackson’s name to the driver status system, he discovered that Jackson’s drivers license was suspended. Jackson admitted to drinking alcohol and the Trooper asked her to get out of her vehicle to perform field sobriety maneuvers. The trooper observed numerous clues which indicated to him — through his training and experience — that the defendant was under the influence. The trooper administered a preliminary alcohol screening test and Jackson gave a breath sample of .366 (the legal limit is under .08.) . Jackson told the trooper that her children in the car were ages one and two.

Jackson was placed under arrest and brought back to the Phillips County Sheriff’s Office where, after being advised of her Miranda rights, submitted a blood test and then told the Trooper she had “blacked out” and drove into the ditch. Jackson also said she had been drinking Lord Calvert Whiskey for several days, adding she didn’t remember the last time she was completely sober.

A person convicted of felony criminal child endangerment shall be imprisoned in the state prison for a term not to exceed 10 years or be fined an amount not to exceed $50,000, or both.

A person convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than 24 consecutive hours or more than six months and shall be punished by a fine of not less than $300 or more than $1000.

A person convicted of driving while suspended or revoked shall be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not less than two days for more than six months, or pay a fine of not more than $500, or both.