District Court Roundup
Depaoli case continued
Dalton Furie Depaoli failed to appear at the Madison County Courthouse on Feb. 12 citing a health issue. Depaoli is being charged with one count failing to register as a violent offender. His case was continued until Feb. 26.
Ross sentenced for burglary, theft
Philip Michael Ross appeared at the Madison County Courthouse for a sentencing hearing on Feb. 12. Ross has been charged with and pleaded guilty to one count burglary and two separate counts of theft after an Aug. 2017 incident in Madison County.
Ross was sentenced to 20 years to the Montana Department of Corrections, 15 years suspended, for the burglary charge, and ten years to the Montana DOC, five years suspended, for the first theft charge, which will run consecutively to the burglary charge. Ross was sentenced to the Montana DOC for three years, no time suspended, for the second theft charge. The three-year sentence will run concurrently with charges from a separate case in Butte.
Burchill seeks court appointed council
Duane Angelo Burchill appeared at the Madison County Courthouse for a pre-trial conference on Feb. 12. Burchill is being charged with two separate counts of burglary after an Aug. 2017 incident in Madison County.
Burchill appeared before Judge Luke Berger pro-se and requested a court-appointed attorney before going to trial. Burchill fired his previously appointed attorney on the belief his charges would be dropped. “I honestly thought the charges would be dropped and I thought this case to be a joke,” Burchill stated to the court before requesting an attorney.
Burchill was sentenced in a Gallatin County case on Feb. 13. A status conference was set for Feb. 26 at the Madison County Courthouse, following the outcome of Burchill’s sentence in Gallatin County.
*The following District Court roundup was omitted from the Feb. 8 edition.
Lopez sentenced to DoC after slew of theft charges
Julio Marco Lopez appeared at the Madison County Courthouse on Feb. 5 for a sentencing hearing. Lopez was hit with a slew of felony theft and criminal trespass to vehicle charges after a summer 2016 incident in Madison County. Judge Luke Berger sentenced Lopez on one felony theft charge, one criminal trespass charge and one tampering with evidence charge. He received a sentence of seven years with three years suspended to the Montana Department of Corrections, six months to the Madison County Detention Center and another seven years, three suspended to the DOC with credit for time served. Lopez’s sentences will run concurrently.
Hayes receives suspended sentence, $600 fine
Forest Alan Hayes appeared at the Madison County Courthouse on Feb. 5 for a sentencing hearing. Hayes pleaded guilty to one count driving under the influence, one count eluding a peace office and one count criminal endangerment. He was sentenced to the Montana Department of Corrections for eight years, all suspended and credit for time served for the criminal endangerment charge, one year to the DOC, all suspended for eluding a peace officer, and six months to the Madison County Detention Center and $600 fine for the DUI charge.