The Daily Inter Lake

Jury convicts man in felony theft case

A Flathead County jury Wednesday convicted a businessman of bilking a customer out of investments he made in a home.

The jury acquitted Barry Olsen, 30, on two other, similar charges.

In 2004 and 2005, he was an owner of Summit Homes in Kalispell.

Then, three customers claimed that Olsen took money they had paid to him for modular pre-fabricated homes manufactured by Triple M Housing in Canada.

Mike Zimmerman, Kurt West and Bob Snyder said they paid about $166,000 to Olsen, but didn't receive the homes.

District Judge Kitty Curtis presided over the three-day trial. Olsen was defended by attorney Lane Bennett.

County Attorney Ed Corrigan prosecuted Olsen on the three felony theft charges.

The jury deliberated for about four hours before reaching its verdict.