Man pleads guilty to tampering with evidence

A man charged with accountability to robbery after an apparent botched drug deal resulted in his friend suffering multiple gunshot wounds pleaded guilty to a lesser charge Thursday in Flathead District Court.

Bo Hanger admitted Thursday to throwing away a gun holster at Kalispell Regional Medical Center after taking Bryan Keith Schloss there on Dec. 5, 2009. He pleaded guilty to tampering with physical evidence after reaching a plea agreement with the Flathead County Attorney’s Office.

Hanger was driving his father’s Honda CR-V on Four Mile Drive with Schloss and David Palumbo as passengers when the shooting occurred, according to court documents.

Shots were fired when Schloss allegedly attempted to rob Palumbo of his cocaine. At the time, Schloss had a 9 mm pistol, but it jammed, according to court documents.

Palumbo fled on foot with the cocaine after shooting Schloss four times with a .40-caliber handgun.

Hanger was arrested by Whitefish Police after dropping off Schloss at the hospital. Surveillance cameras captured footage of him dropping the holster into a garbage can, according to court documents.

He initially pleaded innocent to tampering with physical evidence and accountability to robbery during an arraignment Dec. 31, 2009.

Sean Hinchey, Hanger’s attorney, indicated through questioning Thursday that Hanger was not aware there were guns in the vehicle and that he “freaked out” after the shooting and threw Schloss’ gun holster away.

“It was a pretty emotional time for you at that point?” Hinchey asked.

“Yes, it was,” Hanger replied.

Hanger, who doesn’t have any previous felony convictions, is scheduled to be sentenced May 19.

As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors are recommending a two-year deferred sentence, meaning Hanger will serve no prison time if he continues to follow the law.

Schloss was dealt a five-year suspended sentence for his role in the incident March 3 after reaching a plea agreement in which the County Attorney’s Office agreed to dismiss a charge of accountability to robbery.

Palumbo turned himself in to Stevens County, Wash., authorities on Dec. 10, 2009, for violating his parole by leaving Washington. On Dec. 13, 2010, he was sentenced in federal court to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to felony possession of a firearm for furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.