Accused Kendall accomplice pleads not guilty

The 77-year-old man authorities accuse of aiding and abetting Jeremiah Kendall during a short-lived flight from custody pleaded not guilty to felony obstruction of justice earlier this week.

Fredrick Jay Hersel was arraigned in Lincoln County District Court on May 10. Jeremiah Kendall, now back in custody, and wife Jennifer Kendall were arraigned earlier this month on related charges.

Authorities found Hersel with Jennifer Kendall on Forest Service Road 6092 while tracking Jeremiah Kendall on April 16. At the time, Jennifer Kendall claimed to be out horn hunting, but authorities located and arrested her husband nearby shortly after coming across the pair.

When approached by Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office deputies, Hersel allegedly admitted to driving Jeremiah Kendall to the area, according to court documents. Hersel “mentioned he was trying to convince Jeremiah to turn himself in but he did not feel that good about him getting caught,” wrote Undersheriff Brad Dodson in an affidavit.

During a later conversation with Deputy James Derryberry, Hersel allegedly said he allowed Jeremiah Kendall to stay in a camper on his property, according to the affidavit.

After years of court appearances, Jeremiah Kendall was sentenced March 29 in connection with the brutal assault of his then-girlfriend in 2014. He had previously pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and tampering with physical evidence.

Jeremiah Kendall was physically absent the courtroom during sentencing, having been placed in quarantine by local health officials after coming in contact with an individual infected with the coronavirus. He was watching along on videoconferencing software when District Judge Matthew Cuffe opted to move forward with the proceedings despite the quarantine.

Citing the unusual circumstances, Cuffe placed Jeremiah Kendall on house arrest until April 9, the end of his quarantine. On that day, Jeremiah Kendall was to voluntarily turn himself into authorities and start his two-decade bid with the Montana State Prison. He was to spend another decade under supervision and pay restitution as part of the deal he worked out with prosecutors.

But on April 7, law enforcement personnel watched him ride off into the woods on a four-wheeler. A search of the Libby and Crazyman creek areas proved unsuccessful in the hours after his departure.

Suspecting Jeremiah Kendall was in contact with his wife, authorities later began tracking her vehicle. That’s how they came across both Kendalls and Hersel on April 16.

Hersel, a Libby resident, was later released on $50,000 bail. An omnibus hearing is scheduled for July 26 with a pretrial conference set for Aug. 20. Were the case to go to trial, it would begin Oct. 10.

Jennifer Kendall also has pleaded not guilty to a single felony count of obstruction of justice. Jeremiah Kendall, meanwhile, entered a guilty plea to a felony charge of escape. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 24.