Montana man sentenced in connection to body buried

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A Montana man convicted of tampering with evidence in connection with a man's body that was found in a shallow grave north of Billings was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The Billings Gazette reports 36-year-old Michael Scott Leclair was sentenced Monday, the first of three men charged in connection with the July 2017 discovery of 33-year-old Rory Wanner's body.

Defense attorney Brad Arndorfer told the court that a scuffle had occurred between Leclair and Wanner, who later collapsed and died.

Arndorfer says the group became afraid that if police were called, they would get in trouble for their drug use.

Prosecutor Ed Zink says autopsy results were inconclusive.

William James Hoffert III has pleaded guilty to evidence tampering. Tyler Nathaniel Crawford has denied the charges.