Felon accused of threating officers investigating child sex assault
A man who already served time at an Oregon prison for conspiracy to commit murder and manslaughter is now facing felony charges after he allegedly threatened investigators who were looking into allegations that he impregnated an underage girl.
Steven Jason Colby, 51, is being held in Flathead County Detention Center with bail set at $100,000. Colby has been charged with felony threats in official matters and solicitation or tampering with evidence.
According to court documents, a report was made on Dec. 7 to Child Protective Services after an underage pregnant girl indicated that Colby was allegedly the father of her child. Investigators were told that Colby allegedly had been trying to convince the girl to not get a DNA test to identify the father of the child.
On Dec. 16, a search warrant was issued for Colby’s DNA, but Colby allegedly avoided contact with law enforcement and called officers on Dec. 21 and told them that he was in hiding out of state.
Colby allegedly told the investigating officer that if the officer tried to obtain a DNA sample then the situation would quickly turn volatile.
A Child Protective Services worker requested an escort to Colby’s home later that day. Colby was found inside and he allegedly threatened a Flathead County Sheriff’s deputy and the social worker.
Once at jail, Colby allegedly continued to issue verbal threats to the sheriff’s deputy and refused to provide a DNA sample unless handcuffs were removed.
Officers did not feel safe removing the handcuffs, given Colby’s criminal past.
Colby was convicted in 1985 of two homicide-related charges in Oregon. Court documents say he was paroled in 2005.
Colby then allegedly called his wife from the detention center and told her to “wipe my tablet.”
When officers obtained a search warrant for electronic devices in the home, Colby’s wife allegedly told officers “I did what he told me to do,” in regards to the tablet.
Colby is set to be arraigned Jan. 26.
Reporter Megan Strickland can be reached at 758-4459 or mstrickland@dailyinterlake.com.