Host of charges reduced to three for Kalispell man
A bevy of charges against a Kalispell man has been dropped after he pleaded guilty to just three.
Trevor Lanktree, 25, pleaded guilty May 30 in Flathead District Court to one count of criminal distribution of dangerous drugs and two counts of forgery.
Lanktree originally was charged with three felony counts of criminal distribution of dangerous drugs, two felony counts of theft and two felony counts of forgery plus misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief, obstructing a peace officer and driving with a suspended or revoked license.
A 2011 case dismissed in its entirety included one of the felony theft charges and all three misdemeanor charges. Lanktree allegedly stole cable and wire from the Bonneville Power Administration.
According to a court document, Lanktree was arrested after deputies responded to a recycling company where he was trying to sell the stolen items. He allegedly ran from his vehicle on foot and was apprehended later. He also allegedly confessed to stealing the cable and wire.
A second 2011 case was the source of one of the forgery charges. Lanktree was charged in that case after he forged 25 checks totaling nearly $4,500 from his father’s business over the course of three months.
At least two of the checks were written to his girlfriend, Andrea Wyatt, 23, of Kalispell, who is facing seven charges of prostitution in a separate case.
All three drug distribution charges stemmed from a 2012 case in which Lanktree sold cocaine to a confidential informant working with the Northwest Drug Task Force.
The second forgery charge was filed in a 2013 case connected to Wyatt’s prostitution case. Lanktree, and Wyatt are accused of stealing a checkbook from Milton Courter, 77, of Kalispell, the man to whom Wyatt is alleged to have prostituted herself. Lanktree and Wyatt allegedly forged several of the checks.
Courter himself faces seven counts of prostitution for his alleged involvement with Wyatt.
Lanktree’s other 2013 case also was dismissed: Lanktree and Wyatt were charged with stealing stole tools from Western Building Center by concealing them in a baby carrier.
The case also accused Lanktree and another man of stealing three cameras and a GPS from Costco before fleeing in a truck. Lanktree was later arrested and allegedly admitted to taking the items, valued at roughly $800.
Lanktree also allegedly was caught on video stealing nearly $1,400 in tools from Lowe’s.
Lanktree now faces between one year in jail and life plus 40 years in prison as well as a fine of up to $150,000 when he is sentenced July 18. If he had been convicted of all the charges leveled against him, he would have faced between one year in jail and three life terms plus 60 years in prison plus 18 months in jail and a fine of up to $353,500.