Yaak man faces faces more than 40 years in prison

A Yaak-area man is facing more than 40 years behind bars following his arrest Oct. 13 by deputies of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. Jesse David Sedler, a 49-year-old man, was arrested and charged with two felony counts of intimidation, one felony count of assault with a weapon and one misdemeanor count of assault. The intimidation counts are each punishable by up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $50,000. The felony assault with a weapon count carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, also with a $50,000 fine. The misdemeanor charge can result in up to six months in jail and $500 in fines.

Deputies Ben Fisher and John Davis of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to an address on Seventeen Mile Road Oct. 12, after a call was received regarding a possible assault and a firearm discharge near the residence. Fisher wrote the narrative report attached to the affidavit of probable cause. In the narrative, he reported the victim claimed Sedler arrived at her residence and became agitated due to the presence of another man. Sedler reportedly shoved the female victim, causing her to fall backwards onto the porch. He then spoke harshly toward the other man, jumped in his vehicle and drove off. Sedler allegedly fired a round from his weapon from the road near the woman’s residence.

Another call was received by the Sheriff’s department the following day, and Fisher was dispatched back to the scene with Captain Bo Pitman. The reporting parties the second day were a different man and woman from the first incident. The man said he heard the weapon discharge and thought Sedler had fired the weapon toward the residence. When the man approached Sedler to speak about it, Sedler told him he’d fired in the direction of the woman’s dog in order to scare it off, but had not fired toward the woman or the residence.

Fisher again visited the original reporting parties from the previous day, who told him and Pitman Sedler was carrying a rifle, wrapped in a blanket, and had threatened to kill the man. He also poked the female victim in the forehead with his finger and threatened to shoot her “right there.”

After consulting with the Lincoln County Attorney, Fisher and Pitman arrested Sedler. He was ordered held on $50,000 bond and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Nov. 17.