Chilinski’s animal abuse history not part of trial

A man who was growing more than 300 marijuana plants and had more than two pounds of processed marijuana in addition at his Jefferson City home when it was searched in October 2011 will not have to forfeit the property on which it was produced, a district court jury found last week.

Mike Kurt Chilinski made news in 2011 when a search of his property turned up over 200 abused Malamute dogs. He was eventually sentenced to 30 years with 25 suspended for that crime and the dogs were taken away from him.

While searching the Jefferson City property on a search warrant for the dogs, Jefferson County sheriff’s officers found marijuana and called in the Southwest Montana Drug Task Force to execute a search warrant for the drugs.