Libby man, woman sentenced Feb. 12 on related charges

BY BENJAMIN KIBBEY

The Western News

Jared Covey and Harlie Mizenberg appeared Monday in Montana 19th Judicial District Court in Libby on related charges. Covey received multiple suspended sentences, and will serve five years in prison. Mizenberg will have sentencing deferred for two years.

In a plea agreement, Covey plead guilty to possession of dangerous drugs with intent to distribute and committing an assault that ended in injury. In addition to his prison sentence, Covey will be required to pay $3,465.42 in restitution for medical bills related to the assault.

Judge Matt Cuffe said he felt the sentence was appropriate both as a punishment, and because it will give Covey the opportunity to seek treatment for chemical dependency in a structured environment.

Mizenberg’s attorney, Scott Johnson, said that Mizenberg has returned to her life and husband since she was arrested on charges of possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia in June. He said she is working, has strong support and is doing better.

Johnson added that the ongoing fines she will be paying will serve to remind her of her wrongdoing.

Before setting the deferred imposition of sentence, Cuffe said that while the court does not take the charges against Mizenberg lightly, he acknowledged the efforts she has made.

Cuffe said he felt the punishment imposed was appropriate and required her to still make amends.

Covey was sentenced on four separate cases. On June 15, he was alleged found in possession of methamphetamine, plastic baggies, a digital scale, containers with residue and pipes associated with drug use.

He was also charged with aggravated burglary and assault in February 2017, intimidation in August, and possession of heroin and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute in October.

According to the original charges against her, on June 15 Mizenberg was found in possession of plastic baggies, a digital scale, containers with residue and pipes associated with drug use, as well as less than 60 grams of marijuana.

According to an affidavit from Libby Police Officer Jonathan Graham, Covey’s burglary and assault charges stem from an incident where Mizenberg was with John Cherry of Libby on Feb. 18, 2017. Covey entered Cherry’s residence and attacked him while he slept next to Mizenberg.

The affidavit alleges a text conversation in which Covey offered to pay to clean Cherry’s residence and to pay his hospital bills in exchange for Cherry not going to the police.

Covey had made a call to police that night looking for information on Mizenberg’s whereabouts, the affidavit states.

Another affidavit from Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy Brent Faulkner alleges that in August Covey made a phone call to his recently divorced wife Haleigh Covey in relation to her intent to change the last name of their child.

According to the affidavit, Jared Covey threatened to blow up Haleigh Covey’s house and kill her. Haleigh Covey told Faulkner she did not think Jared Covey would blow up her house, but that she did believe he was a threat.

The June 15 incident relates to a tip from a confidential informant, according to an affidavit by Lincoln County Sheriff’s Detective Nate Scofield. Through the informant, Scofield said he received information pertaining to Mizenberg seeking buyers for methamphetamine and heroin, and seeking individuals to “invest” in an out-of-state drug run for methamphetamine.

When Scofield made a visit to the apartment Covey and Mizenberg shared on June 15, Mizenberg admitted to using marijuana, according to the affidavit. However, both became uncooperative and Scofield advised them he was seizing their vehicles and securing the apartment based on probable cause that there were illegal drugs in either or both.

After executing search warrants, Scofield and assisting deputies found scales, paraphernalia, baggies, marijuana and methamphetamine in the apartment and in Mizenberg’s vehicle.

According to another affidavit from Scofield, on Oct. 24 he assisted Lincoln County Probation Officer Darrel Vanderhoef with a probation check on Michael Benefield, related to a tip that Mizenberg and Covey were staying at Benefield’s residence, which would be a violation of Benefield’s probation.

Covey was standing outside the residence when officers arrived, and ran inside, according to the affidavit. Officers pursued him.

Scofield stated that Mizenberg was in the living room, as well as Daniel Munson and Curtis Ware. The last pretended to be sleeping, but made eye contact with Scofield.

Covey had run upstairs, and when Scofield checked the room, he found a window open and the screen pushed out. In the bed of a pickup below the window, Scofield found a wooden box containing a glass jar with 22 grams of methamphetamine in it and a rubber container with 1 gram of heroin. The box also held two scales and plastic baggies.

In the residence, officers found a methamphetamine pipe, additional baggies and valium in a pill bottle with Mizenberg’s name on it. They seized three pistols, one of which was found concealed on Munson and one on the sofa where Ware had been sitting.