The sentencing of Chris Anderberg will occur on November 20, 2013. He was convicted by Judge Nielson of one count of Conspiracy to Commit Premeditated Murder for his involvement with another juvenile in a plot to kill a classmate at Fort Colville Middle School. Ben Booth previously entered pleas of guilty to charges related to the incident and is in state custody at a juvenile facility near Big Bend, Washington.

The sentencing of Mr. Scott Marvin Nitschke, of Pierce County, occurred on Friday, November 15. On October 16, he had been convicted by a jury of one count of Unlawful Hunting of Big Game in Second Degree. The charge arouse out of his hunting elk on private property that is within the boundary of the Spokane Indian Reservation. General Counsel for the Spokane Tribe, Mr. Scott Wheat, attended the sentencing. The judge listened to the arguments of the attorneys and heard from the defendant. The defendant talked about how he had been doing this for years. The judge then sentenced Mr. Nitschke to 15 days in jail and levied a fine of $5,000 against him.

The Stevens County Sheriff’s Office has completed an investigation and I have filed felony and misdemeanor charges of Cruelty to Animals against a local woman as a result. The investigation was the result of several citizen complaints to the Sheriff regarding the situation of several horses being kept on property near Colville. The horses are now under the care of a local veterinarian. Local attorney Mike Golden of Colville represents the defendant. It is important to remember that charges are just an accusation and are not evidence of guilt. An accused person is presumed innocent unless and until they either plead guilty or are found guilty in court.

Hunting season is here and we have started to see hunting violations coming in. There are some things that that must be remembered when hunting. It is illegal to have a loaded gun in a vehicle. This includes all terrain vehicles. There must be no shells in the clip or the chamber. Know where you are when you are hunting. Always ask permission from the property owner before you go onto any private land and respect whatever you are told. If there is any doubt about whether or not the land is public or private—ask. Read the hunting regulations and follow them. The rules can be complicated, and if you have a question, ask the officers of the WDFW. They know the rules and would much rather explain them to a hunter before they are broken. Wear hunter orange when you are in the woods. Never drink and hunt. That is just plain foolish and presents a danger to every hunter. A drunken hunter with a gun is a danger to everyone.