Libby man sentenced for assaulting girlfriend

A Libby man was recently sentenced for his role in assaulting his girlfriend in front of their infant child during an incident last summer.

Xander Elias Spady, 21, appeared in Lincoln County District Court March 31 in front of District Judge Matt Cuffe. Cuffe followed the terms of a negotiated plea deal and sentenced Spady to a three-year deferred term with the Montana Department of Corrections and a one-year deferred term in the Lincoln County Detention Center. They will be served consecutively. He also received credit for one day served in the county jail. He must pay a fine of $2,000.

His plea deal called for the dismissal of one felony count of criminal endangerment.

If Spady doesn’t follow the terms of his sentence, he could face time behind bars. 

“I hope to become a better man and a better father,” Spady said during sentencing.

Spady’s public defender, Scott B. Johnson, said his client has an interest in the U.S. Coast Guard and “hopes something could be worked out.”

Cuffe remarked during the hearing that the victim was in support of the plea deal, but some of her family members were not in agreement.

Spady first appeared Oct. 28 and initially pleaded not guilty to two counts of criminal endangerment and one misdemeanor count of partner or family member assault.

But at a Jan. 13 court appearance, Spady pleaded guilty to one count of felony endangerment and misdemeanor partner or family member assault.

According to the charging document filed by Deputy County Attorney Lauren O'Neill, county deputy Ben Fisher and Troy police officer Michael Miller investigated the Aug. 16, 2024, incident.

According to Fisher's narrative, when he spoke to the victim, she said Spady came home from work and they went to the gas station where he bought a six-pack of tall cans of beer. She said he drank them, then went to another business where Spady allegedly drank two "shots" with his mom. The couple then went to Spady's mom's house.

The accused and his mom's boyfriend went to a casino and bought a bottle of whiskey. Spady's girlfriend said he drank about of a quarter of the whiskey. She said he was very drunk, became agitated and emotional before they left the house. She said Spady punched the dash and the window in the car while they drove. The woman said she recorded the incident on her phone.

Fisher listened to the recording and heard a baby crying in the back seat of the car during an emotional scene in which all the occupants were yelling and crying. She also said Spady head butted her in the side of the face while she drove.

The alleged victim said she got the formula and other items from their residence on Pioneer Road in Libby. She left the house with the baby and returned to Troy and her mother's house. She then walked to the Town Pump to get something for the baby and on returning to her mom's house, saw Spady in a side-by-side vehicle. She snuck back into her mom's house.

The victim's mom told deputy Fisher that Spady tried to get into the home before leaving. She then called 911.

When Fisher spoke to the victim, she said she was afraid of Spady and was also afraid to report past incidents because he convinced her he would take the baby from her.

Fisher sought assistance from law officers in Libby to determine if Spady was in the Pioneer Road residence. Deputy Cody Dewitt and Libby police officer Don Luthey went to the home where they saw the side-by-side vehicle. Attempts to speak to Spady were not successful.

When officer Miller spoke to the victim's mother, she told him Spady had turned 21 on Wednesday (Aug. 14). Miller spoke to the alleged victim about the head butt and he took a photo with his duty cell phone of a swollen red mark near her eye.

According to Spady's release conditions, he is not allowed to carry or use weapons, illegal drugs or alcohol. He must also submit to alcohol and drug testing. The state didn't oppose the couple living together as long as there is no violence and they don't talk about the case.

Spady originally faced a 10-year prison term if convicted of criminal endangerment. A conviction for partner of family member assault may have resulted in a one-year term in the county jail.