Libby man pleads guilty to drug offenses

A Libby man currently in the county jail facing multiple drug charges, recently pleaded guilty.

Jesse J. Jungst, 44, was accused of possession of dangerous drugs, drug paraphernalia, disorderly conduct and indecent exposure after he was discovered naked and in possession of methamphetamine on May 18 on Highway 37 just outside town limits.

Jungst was arraigned on the charges June 3 in Lincoln County District Court and pleaded not guilty. 

In a July 25 court filing, county officer John Davis was patrolling at 8:02 a.m. on Kootenai River Road when he saw Jungst riding his bike. Davis stopped Jungst, who had a warrant for his arrest, and took him to the jail.

There, a jail guard reported finding a small baggie inside a leather glove. A substance in the baggie field tested positive for methamphetamine. Jungst told the guard he’d used meth since he was 17.

He pleaded not guilty to the offense at an Aug. 19 hearing. 

But at a Sept. 9 court appearance, Jungst pleaded guilty to felony drug possession. A plea deal calls for a 5-year deferred sentence in one case and a 5-year suspended sentence in the other.

In the first case, according to the narrative of Lincoln County Sheriff deputy Joshua Brabo, he responded to a market on Highway 37 at 7:58 p.m. May 18, after a call from county dispatch.

There, the officer reported finding Jungst completely nude, standing in the northbound lane. Brabo reported finding multiple clothing items. Jungst allegedly admitted to illegal drug use. 

The officer said he found a container with a white substance, a used glass smoking pipe and a handheld torch. The substance field tested positive for meth and fentanyl, according to the officer.

His sentencing is set for Oct. 28.