Hartsock faces new charges in district court

A Libby man arrested last year for allegedly dealing drugs is now accused of strangling his girlfriend and breaking her phone to keep her from contacting authorities.

Adam Gean Hartsock, 31, faces a felony strangulation of a partner or family member, first offense, charge as well as misdemeanor counts of partner or family member assault, second offense, and criminal destruction of or tampering with a communication device. He pleaded not guilty in Lincoln County District Court during his Feb. 28 arraignment.

Authorities responded to a disturbance call at a U.S. Highway 2 home near Libby about 3:10 a.m., according to court documents. Deputy Derek Breiland of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office recalled in an affidavit speaking with the victim soon after arriving.

Sleeping on the couch, he attacked her after she woke him up, court documents said. The victim accused him of punching her in the face and throwing her to the ground. Putting his hands on her face, he allegedly pinched her nose and covered her mouth “to prevent her from screaming and also … from breathing,” the affidavit reads.

Breiland wrote that Hartsock refuted the accusations. In his version of events, he never touched the victim, court documents said.

Breiland noted prior domestic disturbances involving the couple and Hartsock’s previous partner or family member conviction, involving the same victim, in 2020.

As part of his investigation, Breiland recovered the mobile phone, which he described as “inoperable and in many pieces.” The victim suffered a cut lip, swelling around her right eye and bruised knees, Breiland wrote.

“Given the totality of the circumstances, I determined Hartsock to be the predominant aggressor and placed him under arrest,” Breiland wrote.

Hartsock previously appeared in district court for allegedly dealing Suboxone. Often employed in medication-assisted interventions, Suboxone is typically used to treat opiate abuse. Still, the mix of buprenorphine and naloxone can be abused.

Detectives circled in on Hartsock after he allegedly offered to sell a portion of his stock to a criminal informant in May 2021. Authorities authorized several drug buys before arresting Hartsock in August.

Hartsock pleaded not guilty to two counts of criminal distribution of dangerous drugs on Sept. 20. Those charges were dismissed without prejudice in December, meaning prosecutors could refile them in the future. The county attorney's office's motion to dismiss indicated that individuals connected to the case were involved in an ongoing investigation.

Strangulation carries a penalty of up to five years with Montana State Prison and a $50,000 fine. Misdemeanor partner or family member assault, second offense, is punishable with a fine of between $300 and $1,000 and a minimum of 72 hours in the county jail. Misdemeanor criminal destruction of or tampering with a communication device comes with a maximum sentence of six months in county jail and a $1,000 fine.

Hartsock is expected back in court May 9 for an omnibus hearing with a pretrial conference to follow on June 6.