Man receives five years for drug conviction

A Whitefish man has been sentenced to five years in jail and five years of probation after being convicted of felony drug possession.

Bryan Schloss, 30, was charged after being found in a motel room with a Kalispell woman who had allegedly sold heroin to someone. According to a court document, Schloss had a jewel bag in his pocket that contained 2.1 grams of heroin.

In March 2011, Schloss was given a five-year suspended sentence for felony accountability to criminal possession of dangerous drugs, reduced from felony attempted robbery. That case stemmed from a 2009 incident in which Schloss was shot four times with a .40-caliber handgun while trying to steal cocaine from David Palumbo west of Kalispell.

His sentence included both that case and another one in which he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor driving under the influence of alcohol.

Schloss entered an Alford plea to the new charge, allowing him to accept guilt while still claiming innocence. That plea meant Schloss violated his 2011 sentence, which was subsequently revoked.

At Schloss’ sentencing, District Judge David Ortley sentenced him to five years with the Montana Department of Corrections for violating his prior sentence, and a consecutive, suspended sentence of five years for the new conviction.

Ortley recommended Schloss be placed in the Connections Corrections Program — a residential chemical dependency treatment program — to be followed by pre-release and, eventually, community supervision.

Reporter Jesse Davis may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at jdavis@dailyinterlake.com.