Kalispell man receives six-month sentence for drugs, animal cruelty

A 22-year-old Kalispell man was sentenced Aug. 23 in Flathead District Court to six months in the county jail and given a further four-year deferred sentence after pleading guilty to felony drug possession and misdemeanor cruelty to animals.

Darrin Farrell was given the six-month jail sentence for the cruelty charge. He had moved from a trailer where several dogs were still kept, and a visit from an animal warden and information provided by a neighbor led the warden to believe the animals weren’t being properly taken care of.

In his comments at the time, the warden said there was a very bad smell coming from inside the trailer and that it was obvious the dogs there had been without water for some time.

Farrell originally was charged with four counts of cruelty to animals, one for each dog.

The four-year deferred sentence came as a result of the drug charge. The charge, along with a misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia charge that was later dropped, was levied against Farrell after he submitted to a search by police.

The officer found in one of Farrell’s pockets a plastic container that held a small plastic baggie of methamphetamine and paraphernalia.

In addition to his jail time and deferred sentence, Farrell was ordered to pay a $500 fine.