Absent man sentenced for misdemeanor theft

Absent defendant sentenced for theft

A 50-year-old Kalispell man’s plea was changed and his sentence delivered in his absence Thursday during Flathead District Court proceedings.

Douglas Thunker’s attorney entered a plea of guilty to a lowered charge of misdemeanor theft for Thunker, who is in North Dakota working.

Thunker was arrested after a recycling company employee reported that he had sold them 1,000 pounds of copper wire of a kind typically used by BNSF on their communication lines. The purchase was traced back to Thunker through the sales receipt and a copy of his driver’s license.

He was ordered to pay $2,035 in restitution, which had already been provided to his attorney to turn over after sentencing. He was also ordered to pay a $100 fine and a $75 surcharge.