Libby man gets 3-year sentence for stalking

A Libby man on Monday was sentenced to three years for stalking a state legislator. As part of a plea agreement, Lincoln County District Judge James Wheelis sentenced Dustin Rounsville to five years in the Department of Corrections with two suspended.

Rounsville was arrested in June and charged with tampering with a witness after state Rep. Jerry Bennett reported being harassed through a bombardment of threatening voicemails left by Rounsville.

Law enforcement officials received reports on June 14 that Rounsville was harassing Bennett, Rounsville’s landlord at the time. According to court documents, the voicemails he left threatened Bennett’s life and his property. Two voicemails in the deputy’s report included Rounsville telling Bennett “there’s a price to be paid,” and his house would be blown up with dynamite and then Bennett “would be the one hurting.”

When a Lincoln County detective told Rounsville to stop harassing Bennett, Rounsville told the detective that the Holy Spirit would be the one harming Bennett, not Rounsville. The detective told Rounsville that any further communication with Bennett would be subject to charges of tampering with a witness.

Rounsville allegedly left another voicemail for Bennett, who then got a restraining order issued to Rounsville on June 15. But he left another threatening voicemail for Bennett. According to court documents, Rounsville was aware that Bennett was a state representative.

Rounsville on June 22 was arrested for tampering with a witness, and in July pleaded not guilty to stalking, as well as violating a protection order.

Reporter Seaborn Larson may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at slarson@dailyinterlake.com.