Prison escapees caught near Troy plead innocent

Two federal prisoners captured outside of Troy after allegedly escaping from the Mineral County Jail a year ago pleaded not guilty in federal court last week.

Donald Schwindt, 48, and William Newhoff, 28, faced escape charges before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch during a federal court session in Missoula.

Schwindt and Newhoff briefly escaped from the Mineral County Jail in Superior in January 2009 while awaiting sentencing on federal weapons charges.

The two broke out the morning of Jan. 25 and were captured the next day.

Newhoff, who was driving a red 2001 Dodge Ram pickup the pair allegedly stole in Superior, was arrested during a traffic stop on the outskirts of Troy.

Schwindt fled on foot from a Montana Highway Patrol trooper and was arrested three hours later after a multiple-agency manhunt located him a quarter-mile away hidden in trees.

The fugitives had been in Montana for about three weeks.

Schwindt, who was sentenced to 105 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm, was involved in an October 2007 domestic disturbance in Creston.

Shots were fired at a Creston home and at sheriff’s deputies approaching the residence.

At the time, Schwindt was wanted for parole violations out of Oregon for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in 1992.

Prior to federal prosecution for the Creston incident, Schwindt was charged in Flathead County with criminal endangerment, assault on a peace officer and assault with a weapon, all felonies.

If convicted on the escape charges, Schwindt and Newhoff each face possible penalties of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years supervised release.

Their pre-trial conference is scheduled for Wednesday.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service.