Libby woman sentenced to 4 years for drug possession

Patricia Lynn Seefeldt of Libby was sentenced Monday, Dec. 12, in Montana 19th Judicial District Court in Libby Lincoln County for criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony.

Lincoln County Attorney Marcia Boris agreed with Probation and Parole Officer Steve Watson’s Pre-Sentence Investigation Report recommending that Seefeldt be sentenced to 10 years with the Montana Department of Corrections with six years suspended.

Seefeldt testified she had a sick family member she cared for that needed to have surgery and that she would need to make necessary arrangements for the family member’s care. Boris responded by arguing that Seefeldt had already been given one month to make those arrangements and there had been a continuance for the previous week. Boris then asked the court to proceed with sentencing, to which Judge Matt Cuffe agreed.

Cuffe sentenced Seefeldt to 10 years with the Department of Corrections with six years suspended and two days credit for time served. Cuffe went on to tell Seefeldt that the sentence was reasonable and related to her prior criminal history.

“This sentence is just and will give you the opportunity for rehabilitation,” he said.

Seefeldt was arrested June 3, 2017 at the one-mile campground on Lower Granite Road. The Forest Service had a camp that had exceeded the camp time limit and the occupants were considered squatting. Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Holzer made contact there with Cory Clawson, who was later sentenced to a five-year DOC commitment, with no time suspended for the charge of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a felony. Holzer also made contact there with Seefeldt, who stated she had received meth from Clawson just before officers arriving.

Ron Oropeza, a K-9 officer with Border Patrol, used his K-9 on Clawson’s car, where the dog was alerted on the car. Deputy Kirk Kraft discovered a clear baggie with a white substance powder on Clawson, which later tested positive for methamphetamine. When Seefeldt was later interviewed she described Clawson using a similar baggie to distribute the methamphetamine to her inside his car.

Seefeltdt was questioned by Officer Debbie Leo about her drug use. Seefeldt removed meth from her purse and gave it to Officer Lepo without a search warrant. Seefeldt was subsequently arrested and transported to the Lincoln County Detention Facility.

After sentencing, she was remanded to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Department to await transportation to the Department of Corrections.