Eureka man gets suspended sentence on drug charge

A Eureka man facing multiple felony drug charges was sentenced recently in Lincoln County District Court.

Shane Michael Coursey, 56, was first accused of possessing fentanyl, methamphetamine and Xanax after his arrest by Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Huff in Libby on Jan. 24, 2023. On July 10, Coursey pleaded not guilty to three felonies and one misdemeanor count of possessing drug paraphernalia.

Coursey’s original arraignment was set for Feb. 13, but his public defender, Ben Kolter said then that Coursey had been released from the county jail for medical reasons. Kolter sought a continuance, but Coursey didn’t make the Feb. 27 hearing and Kolter said he had been hospitalized due to diabetes.

County Attorney Marcia Boris thought the defendant was in Cabinet Peaks Medical Center, but wasn’t sure of his whereabouts. 

Cuffe told Kolter he had a week to find Coursey and scheduled a status conference for March 13. Coursey didn’t make that hearing either, but during the discussion it was revealed he was released from Cabinet Peaks. Boris sought a $10,000 warrant for Coursey’s arrest.

Then, at a May 22 hearing, Coursey was not present again. Kolter said he had no information about him, but Boris said Coursey had been arrested in Billings.

During Coursey's March 18, 2024, sentencing, in which he got a 3-year suspended term, he explained he had his right foot amputated and part of his left foot amputated. The subject came up when Kolter asked District Judge Matt Cuffe to waive the $800 fee for the cost of his defense.

Coursey also said he was unemployed, didn't have any benefits and was waiting on a determination of his disability claim. Cuffe agreed to waive the fee. Coursey also received credit for serving eight days in the county jail last year.

In the Lincoln County case, Huff wrote in a probable cause statement that after arresting Coursey for an outstanding warrant and taking him to the Lincoln County Detention Center, he found a mix of pills and crystals in a cup in the man’s jacket pocket.

Huff wrote that the white pills were consistent in appearance to Xanax. Blue and pink tablets field tested positive for fentanyl and the white crystals field tested positive for meth.

According to Flathead County records, a warrant was issued for his arrest on Nov. 28 for criminal contempt.

Flathead County court records also show Coursey faced charges for fraudulently obtaining dangerous drugs, theft and writing bad checks in 2004 and 2005.

The bad checks case included nearly five dozen for more than $5,000. Coursey received a suspended sentence, but it was later revoked and he was ordered to serve time in a state Department of Corrections facility.