Libby man sentenced on meth possession charge

A Libby man who pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine was recently sentenced in district court.

District Judge Matt Cuffe gave Eric Ernest Bohn, 49, a 3-year suspended sentence on Monday, Dec. 19. Bohn appeared on video from the Lincoln County Detention Center.

Bohn was given credit for serving 85 days in the Lincoln County Detention Center and released.

Despite being described as homeless and unemployed in court, Bohn said he believed he could be a productive member of society and he felt he would be able to pay fines and restitution.

Bohn's attorney, Charles S. Sprinkle, negotiated a plea deal with Lincoln County Attorney Marcia Boris. Other charges of possessing meth and paraphernalia were dropped in the agreement. Part of the deal included a 3-year suspended sentence to a Department of Corrections facility. Bohn originally faced a maximum 5-year sentence.

According to charging documents filed by Boris, Bohn was accused of the offenses on two separate occasions between late May and the end of September.

Former Libby Police Officer Ian Smith wrote in a report that he was called at 12:58 p.m. on May 26 to Rosauers Supermarket for a medical call. A man reported to Lincoln County Dispatch that Bohn was in pain and needed an ambulance.

Smith wrote that he was familiar with Bohn because he had multiple contacts with law enforcement. Smith wrote that when contacted by law officers and the ambulance, Bohn would become uncooperative, make threats and become aggressive.

When Smith arrived, he determined his assistance wasn’t needed. A woman then told Smith Bohn began escalating, but he was taken to the hospital. About 30 minutes later, Smith learned Bohn was in the hospital and was allegedly threatening staff, swearing and causing a disturbance. After Smith got to the hospital, he learned Bohn had left and Emergency Room staff said they didn’t want to press charges.

At about 1:55 p.m., Smith learned Bohn was laying partially in the street in front of the Libby Care Center. When the officer arrived, he could see Bohn laying on his back with his feet in the street. Bohn told Smith that the hospital had kicked him out and he decided to rest on the side of the street. Smith wrote in his report that when he asked Bohn to move his feet out of the street, Bohn began swearing at the hospital, saying the staff thought he was “faking it.”

Because there was no crime and Bohn did not appear to want help, Smith left the scene, according to his report.

Then, about 2 1/2 hours later, Smith got another call from dispatch. Hospital staff said Bohn was laying in the front yard of Libby Volunteer Ambulance with an empty prescription bottle next to him and couldn’t get up.

Smith and Libby Police Sgt. Chris Pape went to the scene because hospital staff were doing a welfare check on Bohn. Hospital staff convinced Bohn to go to the hospital. When Smith helped staff get Bohn to his feet, Smith saw a large open sore on top of Bohn’s hand. Smith wrote that based on his training and experience, it was consistent with people who use syringes to inject dangerous drugs.

When Bohn stood up, Smith reported seeing three used syringes with brown residue inside where the accused had lain. Bohn said the syringes were for a diabetic. Bohn allegedly said he was not on “anything” and had not been in a while. Smith spoke with a man with the ambulance service who said the syringes were not on the ground before Bohn was there. He said he had been in and out of the area all day and would have seen the syringes.

When Smith was back at the police department, he field tested the syringes and they came back presumptive positive for meth.

In the second case against Bohn, Troy Police Officer Mike Miller met with a man at about 8:26 p.m. on Sept. 26 at an East Missoula Avenue residence for a disturbance report.

The man said Bohn was walking down the street and woke up his dogs. The man came out and asked Bohn if he needed help and Bohn asked for a ride to Libby. The man said he couldn’t give Bohn a ride and Bohn allegedly said “expletive you.” The man said Bohn stood on the sidewalk for the next 10 minutes and cussed at him.

When Miller found Bohn, the defendant said he was trying to get to Libby. Miller then asked Bohn if he had any weapons on him and he said he didn’t, but did say he had a syringe on him because he was a diabetic.

Miller checked for warrants on Bohn and learned he had a felony arrest warrant out of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. Miller placed Bohn’s property in a plastic bag and took two syringes to the sheriff’s office for testing. One of the syringes tested positive for meth.

County Detention Officer Tucker Winn said a white, powdery substance was allegedly found in Bohn’s wallet. Miller said the powder tested positive for meth. He wrote in his report he planned to send the syringe and powder to the Montana State Crime Lab in Missoula for further testing.