District Court

An Anaconda man was given a 10-year commitment to the Montana Department of Corrections with five years suspended for placement in an appropriate correctional facility or program after pleading guilty to a felony count of criminal possession of dangerous drugs (fentanyl) with intent to distribute. 

Jason Cuchine appeared in 3rd Judicial District Court before Judge Ray J. Dayton on Wednesday, May 22 where he was sentenced on that felony count plus two felony counts of criminal possession of property subject to forfeiture, with his sentence on those counts being a five-year Department of Corrections commitment, with the sentences on all three counts to run concurrently with each other and with any sentences out of other courts.

Drug treatment and pre-release are recommended for the defendant, who pleaded guilty to the three counts at a hearing on May 15, where the parties agreed that no pre-sentencing investigation would be necessary. 

The court further ordered that the .40 Glock pistol and the $996 seized during his arrest in October of 2023 are forfeited to the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Drug Forfeiture, and that he pay a $150 victim/witness advocate fee, a $60 court surcharge and a $10 court technology fee, and that he abide by the terms and conditions of the suspended portion of his sentence. 

Pursuant to the terms of his plea agreement with the State of Montana, three misdemeanor counts of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia and one misdemeanor count of obstructing a peace officer were dismissed.