Man facing drug charge busted for alleged attempted burglary

A Kalispell man facing a drug possession charge is back in the Flathead County Detention Center after allegedly getting caught in the act of burglarizing a fast food establishment over the weekend.

Kalispell Police officers arrested Jeffrey Pierce, 38, after an employee of a Main Street bar reported seeing an individual clad in black shining a light through the window of the closed restaurant on nearby Idaho Street about 2:58 a.m., Sept. 25. Pierce remains in county jail as prosecutors seek the revocation of his release on his own recognizance.

Arriving officers found Pierce holding several items in his hands, including a metal pick, headlamp and gloves, according to court documents. Surveying the restaurant, investigators found evidence of tampering on a lock and fingerprints on the drive-through window, court documents said.

One of the responding officers recalled watching Pierce try to get through the locked doors earlier in the evening, court documents said.

Pierce allegedly told officers he heard calls for help coming from inside the restaurant and was trying to rescue the person.

Authorities reported hearing no calls for help, according to court documents. They also failed to find anyone in distress in the area.

Upon his arrival in county jail, detention center officers allegedly located a plastic bag on Pierce’s person containing what they deemed methamphetamine.

Pierce already had a criminal possession of dangerous drugs case working through the system. City police officers arresting Pierce on an outstanding warrant in November 2021 allegedly found a white crystalline substance in a container in his pocket. That substance, shipped off to the state crime lab, later came back positive for methamphetamine.

Pierce pleaded not guilty to the felony charge in March. In June, he failed to appear at a scheduled court hearing and a bench warrant for his arrest was issued. On June 15, he was released again on his own recognizance and ordered to appear at an Aug. 4 status hearing, which he did. Expected to go to before a jury in mid-August, the trial ultimately was continued with a pretrial conference set for Oct. 19.

In Deputy County Attorney Amy Kenison’s petition to revoke, she noted that Pierce was reminded to remain in compliance with the conditions of his release during his August hearing.

“Since that time, the defendant has violated certain conditions of his release, namely failure to remain law abiding,” she wrote.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.