County man sentenced for drug offenses

A Montana man with a criminal record was sentenced to serve time in prison following drug-related charges involving a child. 

Dusty Hunter Dunsing, 29, of Eureka, was arrested at a Eureka home on July 24 after authorities say he had various type of illegal drugs in his possession, including fentanyl and psychedelic mushrooms, in the presence of a young girl. Law officers also reported finding nearly $6,000 in cash.

Dunsing was first accused of five offenses, including four felonies.The charges are criminal endangerment, two counts of criminal possession of drugs with the intent to distribute, use or possession of property subject to criminal forfeiture and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Dunsing, who appeared on Aug. 27, 2024, in Lincoln County District Court and pleaded not guilty to amended charges, agreed to a plea deal Nov. 4, 2024.

Dunsing, who is currently being held in the county jail,  was in court Jan. 13 where District Judge Matt Cuffe sentenced him to 10 years with five suspended, in a state Department of Corrections facility.

Dunsing received credit for serving 174 days in the county jail. According to Montana Department of Corrections records, Dunsing has convictions in Missoula County for intimidation and criminal possession of dangerous drugs.  

His current sentence will be served consecutively with the Missoula County cases.

The defendant said "I take full responsibility for my actions."

According to county deputy Michael Avila, he accompanied a probation officer to a residence on Aspen Glen Road. The defendant was laying on a bed with the girl, but went to a corner in the room when the officers entered. They said he appeared to be trying to get to the bathroom. 

The deputy found a hypodermic needle sticking out of the waistband of Dunsing’s shorts as well as a large plastic bag that Avila believed held methamphetamine. He also found two glass pipes in Dunsing’s possession. Dunsing allegedly said a blue pill was fentanyl and a brownish powder in a clear plastic baggie was fentanyl scratch.

Further searching turned up the money as well as six baggies that held a total of 113.3 grams of a substance that field tested positive for meth. 

The substances were sent to the Montana State Crime Lab for further analysis. Avila believed what he found during the search is common with the sale and distribution of narcotics.

Convictions for criminal endangerment or use or possession of property subject to forfeiture may result in a 10-year term in the Montana State Prison. A conviction for intent to distribute may result in a 20-year prison term.