Pubdate: Wed, 04 Aug 2010
Source: Great Falls Tribune (MT)
Copyright: 2010 Great Falls Tribune
Contact: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/customerservice/contactus.html
Website: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2502
Author: Travis Coleman

POPLAR POLICE CHIEF ARRESTED ON MARIJUANA CHARGES

Poplar Police Chief Chad Hilde was arrested on drug charges Tuesday
for allegedly growing marijuana plants in the barn near his rural
Culbertson home.

Roosevelt County Sheriff's deputies arrested Hilde at his home,
according to a news release. He is charged with one felony count of
criminal production or manufacture of dangerous drugs, and one
misdemeanor count of criminal possession of dangerous drugs.

Hilde was arraigned before Judge Bruce Waldhausen in Culbertson, and
was released after posting $10,000 bond. A dispatcher at the Poplar
Police Department said Monday that Hilde was on administrative leave.
He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted on the felony charge.

Poplar is a town of about 1,000 residents on the Fort Peck Indian
Reservation.

An affidavit filed by acting Roosevelt County Attorney Steven Howard
in Roosevelt County District Court on Tuesday morning provides more
details into the allegations against Hilde.

A female runaway told Roosevelt County Sheriff's Deputy Matt Wallace
on July 30 that Hilde had a marijuana plant growing in his barn, and
that Hilde told her it was for medical purposes, according to an affidavit.

Later that day deputies went to Hilde's home north of Culbertson,
where Hilde refused to allow them to search his barn, the affidavit
states.

While deputies waited for a search warrant, Hilde showed them a copy
of Kristopher Boyd's medical marijuana card and a form requesting that
Terry Boyd become Kristofer Boyd's caregiver. Hilde's relationship to
Kristofer and Terry Boyd, including why he had the documents, wasn't
disclosed in court documents. Roosevelt County Sheriff Freedom
Crawford said the Boyds weren't related to Hilde, but declined to
elaborate on their relationship.

An official at the Montana State Division of Quality Assurance
Licensure Bureau told Roosevelt County Criminal Investigator Tierra
Erwin on July 30 that Hilde isn't licensed under the state's medical
marijuana law as either a patient or caregiver, court documents state.

Erwin also learned that Terry Boyd isn't a medical marijuana patient
or caregiver, and that Kristofer Boyd has a medical marijuana patient
card, court documents state.

Deputies then executed a search warrant on Hilde's property, where
deputies found eight marijuana plants growing, as well as marijuana
seeds, and growing instructions and tools commonly used to grow and
distribute marijuana, court documents state.

According to Montana law, licensed medical marijuana patients can grow
their own marijuana -- up to six plants -- and possess up to one ounce
of dried marijuana. Patients also can designate a caregiver to grow
the marijuana for them.

In a separate case, Hilde still faces charges related to the alleged
illegal killing of four moose on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in
July 2008. 
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