Bible drug smuggler returns to court on probation violation

A Kalispell woman convicted of trying to smuggle drugs into the Lincoln County Detention Center nearly four years ago was back in district court last month and accused of illegal drug use.

Angela Lynn Rensmon, 44, appeared in Lincoln County District Court on Feb. 27 in front of District Judge Matt Cuffe.

She remains in the county jail.

Rensmon is accused of violating her probation for the alleged use of illegal drugs. Rensmon, who appeared with her public defender Ben Kolter, made no admissions to the allegation and a hearing was scheduled on the matter for 1:30 p.m. on March 30.

Rensmon received a 3-year suspended sentence in 2019 for her role in trying to smuggle methamphetamine inside a bible into the jail to Michael Joseph Flanagan.

Flanagan, 46, received a 4-year sentence for conspiracy to transfer illegal articles and remains in a state correctional facility in Anaconda, according to Montana State Prison records.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, during the week of July 1, 2019, jail staff learned that Flanagan was allegedly trying to have some type of illegal drug brought to him, concealed in a bible.

A detective listened to the recordings and believed a woman from Flathead County, identified as Rensmon, was alleged to be bringing the bible to the jail, possibly on visitation day.

While nothing took place that week, on Monday, July 8, Rensmon visited Flanagan and allegedly handed a jail guard two books to be given to him. One was a puzzle book and the other was a book by Timothy Keller, God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life.

The guard took the books and sealed them inside an evidence bag and it was locked in a gun locker and the key was placed into the box of a narcotics detective.

Then, on Tuesday, July 9, the detective opened the bag and felt a small lump at the top of the bible in the binding. After cutting the binding, the detective found a small bag. A preliminary test determined it was methamphetamine.

The detective logged the book into evidence and the jail guard submitted body camera footage of her accepting the books from Rensmon. The detective also obtained a copy of the visitation slip, allegedly filled out by Rensmon.