Arrested for shoplifting, 31-year-old charged with drug possession

The alleged theft of about $28.83 in goods from a Whitefish grocery store late last month landed a 31-year-old in Flathead County District Court on multiple charges.

Nolan Wayne Hamman faces one felony count of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and a misdemeanor theft charge following his Sept. 28 arrest at a U.S. 93 gas station in Kalispell. He is expected to appear before Judge Robert Allison on Nov. 9 for his arraignment.

Authorities began searching for Hamman after a loss prevention employee reported the 31-year-old for allegedly assaulting him after walking out of the store with stolen items. The worker accused Hamman of shoving him in the store parking lot and nearly hitting him with his pickup truck while leaving, court documents said.

The employee told Whitefish Police officers that he spotted Hamman allegedly tucking goods into his coat pockets. While Hamman paid for several items before departing, he did not pay for all of them, including a pet toy, dog ball, air freshener, super glue and cable ties, court documents said.

During a subsequent confrontation in the parking lot, Hamman shoved the employee before departing, court documents said. The worker, though, took down Hamman’s license plate information and turned that over to investigators, according to court documents.

Deputies with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office crossed paths with the truck at the U.S. 93 gas station in Kalispell and detained Hamman as they waited for Whitefish Police officers to arrive. Hamman and his truck were taken back to the Whitefish Police Department, court documents said.

There, investigators spotted aluminum foil shoved into a pocket on the driver’s seat and a lighter in the center console, according to court documents. They also found a device in Hamman’s shoe they suspected was needed to consume drugs, court documents said.

During an interview, Hamman allegedly admitted to shoplifting several items from the supermarket. Authorities concluded that Hamman, who was fidgeting and suffering from mood swings, likely was under the influence of drugs, court documents said.

Armed with a search warrant, investigators went through Hamman’s truck, finding three pills suspected to contain fentanyl, less than a gram of possible methamphetamine and paraphernalia including three glass pipes with residue and two snort tubes, court documents said. They also allegedly recovered the items taken from the supermarket.

If convicted of the most serious charge, felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs, Hamman faces up to five years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine.

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