HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – A Havre man has been given a three year suspended sentence with the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs.
Sandy Bob Strauser was sentenced earlier this month by Judge Kaydee Snipes-Ruiz in Hill County District Court.
Strauser was initially charged with the additional felony of theft and the misdemeanor of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, but those charges were dropped at sentencing pursuant to the plea agreement. They were dismissed with prejudice, meaning the decision is final.
In the judgment, Snipes-Ruiz cited Strauser’s “minimal” criminal history in her decision to issue a suspended sentence.
The case was based on allegations that Strauser had stolen a 1940’s Hudson car and Officers had found meth on his property when investigating the incident.
As per the plea agreement, Strauser admitted to possessing methamphetamine on April 7th, 2020 in Hill County and agreed to return the 1940’s Hudson Deluxe Sedan to Hagerty Insurance Company. The agreement says the stipulation should not be considered an admission of criminal conduct.
The defense argued that the theft charge was improperly included in the case and was unrelated to the drug charges. Snipes-Ruiz agreed to sever the charge from the case back in September, but it was eventually dismissed with prejudice and will not be reheard.
