Man who allegedly threatened relatives receives deferred sentence
Joseph Oliver makes his way to the defendant's table inside Flathead County District Court during his June 30, 2022, arraignment before Judge Dan Wilson. (Derrick Perkins/Daily Inter Lake)
A Coram man accused of threatening his brother and another individual earned a deferred three-year sentence for criminal endangerment in Flathead County District Court last week.
Judge Dan Wilson handed the sentence down to Joseph Thomas Oliver, 37, on Dec. 8, giving him credit for 138 days of time served. Along with the deferred sentence, Wilson ordered Oliver to pay $323.13 in restitution.
Oliver initially pleaded not guilty to the felony charge in late June, but struck a deal with prosecutors Oct. 5. In exchange for the deferred sentence, Oliver agreed to plead guilty by way of an Alford plea to the charge. In an Alford plea, the defendant maintains their innocence while acknowledging the weight of evidence against them.
Deputies with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office arrested Oliver on June 10 after learning about threats he allegedly made earlier that month, according to court documents. Authorities found a semi-automatic rifle with several magazines and a handgun in Oliver’s vehicle during his arrest, court documents said.
News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.