Pharmacy robber pleads guilty in federal court

A 25-year-old Kalispell man who held up the Evergreen Pharmacy in 2011 has pleaded guilty to federal charges.

Shawn Malarkey pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court in Missoula to robbery involving controlled substances and the use of a firearm during a crime of violence.

He faces between seven and 32 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice, Malarkey entered the pharmacy at approximately 11:30 a.m. on March 12, 2011, approached the pharmacist and demanded the entire supply of OxyContin.

The pharmacist said, “You’ve got to be kidding,” to which Malarkey responded, “I’m not,” and pulled out a handgun he pointed at the pharmacist. He kept the gun trained on the pharmacist during the robbery, threatening to kill him and other employees.

After convincing the pharmacist to give him the pills, Malarkey demanded keys to an employee’s vehicle. The employee did not have a car, so the pharmacist gave Malarkey his own keys.

Malarkey took the pharmacist with him, releasing him at a church in Kalispell. He was arrested later that day, and was found to be in possession of a loaded handgun with a live round in the chamber and $3,300 worth of OxyContin. The gun was determined to have been stolen in a previous theft.

He later admitted to being under the influence of drugs at the time of the robbery.

Local charges against Malarkey were dropped to make way for the federal charges.

Originally, he was charged in Flathead County with felony counts of robbery, kidnapping, criminal possession of dangerous drugs and two felony counts of assault with a weapon.