Suspect in assault cases pleads guilty after federal grand jury indictment
Jose Angel Estrello enters the courtroom in Flathead County District Court on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022 for his arraignment on two charges of assault with a weapon in separate cases. Estrello's attorney, Daniel Wood, also unsuccessfully sought to see bail lowered for the 39-year-old. (Derrick Perkins/Daily Inter Lake)
A Kalispell man arrested for allegedly pulling a gun in separate confrontations in July changed his plea in Flathead County District Court last month.
Jose Angel Estrello, 40, pleaded guilty by way of an Alford plea Feb. 24 in one of two separate assault with a weapon cases brought against him over the summer. As part of a deal struck Jan. 17, prosecutors agreed to dismiss the other case with prejudice, meaning they cannot refile charges.
The first of the two cases stemmed from a July 16 parking dispute at Tally Lake Campground, according to court documents. Authorities accused Estrello of pulling a pistol from his pocket during the disagreement.
The second incident involving a firearm allegedly occurred on a stretch of road between Whitefish and Kalispell on July 22. Estrello, behind the wheel at the time, pointed a gun at a family in a vehicle traveling parallel to him, according to court documents.
Estrello ultimately pleaded out to the assault with a weapon charge in that case. In an Alford plea, a defendant maintains innocence, but acknowledges a jury likely would find them guilty.
Under the terms of the plea deal, prosecutors will recommend he receive a six-year sentence to the Montana State Prison.
Judge Dan Wilson set sentencing for April 13.
Along with a $250,000 bail, Estrello remains behind bars in the Flathead County Detention Center on a federal hold. A grand jury in U.S. District Court in Missoula on Feb. 22 indicted Estrello on a count of prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Estrello boasts a lengthy criminal history in California, including convictions on robbery, grand theft auto and possession of drugs in prison, according to documents filed in district court. He also has faced kidnapping for ransom, burglary and assault by prisoner charges, court documents said.
When sheriff’s deputies approached Estrello over the summer, he intimated that he planned to buy an AR-15 for protection from law enforcement, court documents said. He also referenced his gang affiliation, according to court documents, though his wife later testified in district court that Estrello had cut ties with the organization.
Prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition is punishable by up to 15 years behind bars, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.