Libby man admits stalking charge

A 55-year-old Libby accused of violating a protection order and stalking pleaded guilty Monday, July 28, in Lincoln County District Court.

Richard Joseph Devine originally faced four charges and up to seven years of jail after being arrested in the parking lot of a local store across from the residence of a person who has a protection order against him.

Devine’s plea deal calls for a three-year suspended sentence. District judge Matt Cuffe ordered a pre-sentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for Sept. 15.

According to police documents, on April 23, sheriff deputies were asked to keep an eye on a vehicle at Dollar Tree. The owner of the car, police documents said, was Devine, who had a permanent protective order from a reporting party, and the store was across the highway from the reporting party’s residence.

Deputies noted he was in a position at the Dollar Tree to observe any movement from the reporting party. Deputies took Devine into custody for violating the protection order.

When deputies spoke with the reporting party, they stated that Devine had been messaging her and visiting the party’s place of residence. The first contact, they said, happened about five days after Devine had been served with the temporary order of protection.

According to police documents, the reporting party showed over 250 messages in a two-day time frame, including pictures of Devine’s genitalia. There were also two voice calls and a personal visit to the reporting party’s residence.