Reed receives deferred sentence

Lincoln County District Judge Matthew Cuffe handed down a deferred, five-year sentence to a Libby man who assaulted his girlfriend and then tried to convince her to retract her accusations against him.

Noah Raymond Reed, 20, pleaded guilty to charges of strangulation of a partner or family member and partner or family member assault, causing bodily injury as part of a deal with prosecutors. In exchange, a charge of tampering with a witness was dropped.

Cuffe told Reed the sentence “gives you time to make choices and changes in your life.”

Authorities arrested Reed in November after a doctor examining his girlfriend during a regular checkup found suspicious marks and bruising, according to court documents.

During an interview with police, the victim said that Reed had grown angry while they were visiting his grandmother’s house. When she hesitated to enter the woman’s home — the victim told authorities she felt unwelcome there — Reed grabbed her by the throat and tossed her from the vehicle, court documents said. He then got out of the vehicle, walked around to her and began to choke her, according to an affidavit.

The victim told authorities she nearly lost consciousness, court documents said.

“[She] later told me how scared she was because she felt the bones crack in her throat,” wrote Libby Police officer Ronald Buckner in an affidavit.

The victim told authorities Reed regularly abused her, court documents said.

Reed initially denied the allegations. According to court documents, he told investigators that the victim was prone to violent outbursts. The bruises and markings were self-inflicted, he said.

Authorities allege that Reed later contacted relatives and the victim from jail.

“Noah mentions to [the victim] that she should help reduce charges by writing statements to the prosecution stating that he is not abusive and the doctors are lying,” wrote Buckner in an affidavit.

That earned him the tampering with a witness charge.

At his March 23 sentencing, Reed also was given a suspended one-year stint in county jail and ordered to pay $800 in fines.

“You have potential,” said Cuffe, who described Reed as a “knucklehead” during the hearing. “Pay attention and follow the rules.”