Deferred sentence for meth possession

A former Columbia Falls man was given a three-year deferred sentence after he was charged with possession of meth, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Dalton DeMars, 21, of Kalispell, was sentenced by Flathead County District Court Judge Heidi Ulbricht on Sept. 18. He was given credit for five days served and was not ordered to pay a fine.

According to court documents, DeMars showed up at the Blue and White Motel in Kalispell in his 1992 Honda Accord on Oct. 4, 2013, during an ongoing police investigation. After a pat-down uncovered a pipe, DeMars allegedly gave officers permission to search his vehicle.

Officers allegedly found two small bags containing meth, several snort pipes, a glass pipe and a metal pipe with marijuana residue. He was initially charged with felony possession of illegal drugs and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and faced up to five years in prison for the felony count.

In a June 26 plea agreement, the misdemeanor charge was dismissed and the state recommended the deferred sentence.