Accused car thief receives suspended sentence

Zachary Jared Trager, a 20-year-old Libby man who was arrested earlier this year and charged with felony theft by accountability, has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge and was given a suspended six-month sentence in the Lincoln County jail.

Charging documents filed Mar. 23, 2015, allege Trager, on or about Jan. 19 or Jan. 20 of this year, stole a 2001 Ford Taurus belonging to Laura Crismore, along with “numerous items of personal property in the vehicle valued in excess of $1,500.”

Trager was arrested at his residence in Libby Feb. 26, following the execution of a search warrant by a combined Libby Police and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office team. The search, Libby Police Chief Jim Smith said at the time, resulted in the recovery of a significant amount of stolen property.

“We hit the jackpot,” Smith said after the raid. “Our preliminary review points to at least six cases of theft from motor vehicles, but right now I can’t even guess at the total number.”

Trager initially entered a not guilty plea to the charge of theft by accountability April 13 and requested a jury trial. On the same date, Trager’s house-mates Isaac William Macy and Tyler Davis pleaded guilty to similar charges stemming from a car theft from the Cabinet Heights area of Libby Feb. 16. The 18-year-old Macy, who had no prior criminal record as an adult, received a two-year deferred imposition of sentence. The 27-year-old Davis, who had eight previous felony convictions, was sentenced to a five-year commitment with the Montana Department of Corrections.

Trager’s plea agreement with county prosecutors reduced the charge to a single misdemeanor count of possession of stolen property. The original felony charge of theft by accountability carried a potential penalty of up to $50,000 and/or 10 years in prison. The sentence for the misdemeanor conviction was six months in jail, with 14 days credit for time served after his initial arrest. All six months of the sentence were suspended. He was also fined $250 and ordered to pay mandatory court costs and surcharges.