Ronan Woman Sentenced on Criminal Possession Charges

A woman from Ronan, Montana, was recently sentenced in Polson District Court on January 10th. Talia Jodeen Richardson, aged 32, received a four-year sentence with the Montana Department of Corrections, with all the time suspended. This sentence was delivered in relation to her conviction on one count of criminal possession of dangerous drugs. Richardson had entered into a plea agreement in October, which led to the dismissal of a more serious charge of criminal possession with intent to distribute.

The Incident and Investigation

According to the charging documents, the incident took place on March 15, 2017, at the KwaTaqNuk Resort in Polson. During that time, drug agents, in collaboration with law enforcement officers and security forces, observed a gray Jeep Wrangler parked at the hotel. Acting on information provided by a confidential informant, the agents learned that the driver of the Jeep was suspected of dealing large quantities of heroin from one of the rooms in the hotel.

In order to gather evidence, surveillance was set up by the agents, who worked in partnership with hotel security, the Montana Highway Patrol, and the Polson Police. It was also discovered that Richardson did not possess a valid driver’s license. Consequently, a traffic stop was conducted on the Jeep as agents witnessed Richardson driving it away from the hotel.

Discovery of Illicit Substances

At the time of the traffic stop, two other individuals were found in the Jeep. One was an adult female identified as Shayla Fyant, who was wanted on an outstanding warrant. The other was a 12-year-old girl. During the search of the vehicle, law enforcement discovered a baggie containing over 35 grams of heroin. This amount is equivalent to more than 350 doses, as stated by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Richardson’s Account

During the investigation, Richardson claimed that she had found the baggie while cleaning a residence the night before. However, this explanation did not hold up in court.

Sentencing and Jail Time

In light of the evidence and Richardson’s conviction, Judge Molly Owen handed down a sentence of four years with the Montana Department of Corrections. However, all of this time was suspended, meaning that Richardson will not serve any further time in jail. It is worth noting that Richardson was given credit for the two days she had already spent in jail.