Small Montana Towns Getting Big Criminal Convictions

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - Attorney General Austin Knudsen is justifiably proud of his Prosecution Services Bureau, as it is assisting law enforcement agencies in small Montana communities in successfully trying and convicting individuals guilty of serious crimes.

In the KGVO studios on Tuesday were Assistant Attorneys General Dan Guzynski and Thorin Geist, who described the important work they do to help smaller law enforcement agencies try and convict those guilty of serious crimes.

Guzynski described just one instance of how his office has helped with successful prosecutions.

Assistant AG Describes the Help His Agency Gives to Small Communities

“Megan Paddock has had success in a local case, State v Evans, which is over in Mineral County this last spring,” began Guzynski. “We also had a case of State v DeRoche, which was a law enforcement officer that raped a female down by Cut Bank Creek. That was another trial that she was involved in and we were able to get convictions in. “I think our caseload, as far as complex cases go is probably evenly split. This is really what Prosecution Services does right now, is these child sexual assault cases and homicide cases in rural Montana.”

Assistant AG Geist also shared some successful prosecution stories.

Assistant AG Proud of Important Convictions

“Probably the one that we're the most proud of was State v Miller, which was up in Lincoln County. That's the case where Trooper Johnson was run over and almost killed,” said Geist. “We got brought in to assist the county attorney, but she got hit with, I think, three homicide cases just within a period of months. So we came in to help. We ended up bringing in Selene Koepke from our office as well to help prosecute that case, in front of Judge Danny Kaufman, who's a newer judge up in Flathead County. The judge imposed a sentence for life without imprisonment, so we're pretty happy about that one.”

Geist said some amazing detective work resulted in numerous convictions in Lake County.

Assistant AG Praises Great Detective Work with Boulder 2700 Fire

“Probably the most complicated one of the year was Craig McCray, which was the Boulder 2700 fire up in Lake County,” he said. “He was starting those fires so that his dad would have work because his dad was his money source, which then he'd take the money and then buy drugs. What Detective Yonkin was able to see was this little tiny pinprick, which was a headlight going up and then coming back down. So then, when they knew that there was a car there, then they were able to triangulate and get the GPS data and figure out whose phones were there. It was really pretty amazing.”

Geist also referenced a justifiable use of force case that ended with a guilty verdict.

“This particular defendant was a justifiable use of force case,” he said. “He went too quick to draw his gun and ended up shooting and killing her, and ended up shooting her husband, as well. He lived, but he's got a bullet in his liver. We charged him with deliberate homicide, attempted deliberate homicide, two counts of assault with a weapon, and tampering with physical evidence. We ended up getting a conviction, Selene Koepke key and I, on four of the five counts, and that one's now set for sentencing on October 17.”

READ MORE: AG Knudsen Describes Illegal Worker Issues in Montana

Both Guzynski and Geist commented on the increase in serious crimes that are occurring in smaller Montana communities.

Click here to listen to the entire conversation with Guzynski and Geist.