A local man was sentenced in Montana’s Fifth Judicial District Court of Jefferson County on Wednesday, April 12, for assault with a weapon, a felony.
James A. Ras was committed to the Montana Department of Corrections for a period of three years with all time suspended – a sentence that factored in the defendant serving 349 days in the Jefferson County Detention Center.
According to court documents, Ras’s sentence comes with conditions. These include registering as a violent offender, “not owning, possessing or being in control of any firearms or deadly weapons, as defined by state and federal law,” not using or possessing alcohol or illegal drugs and not entering any casinos or engaging in gambling activities. Ras must also participate in any counseling or treatment deemed appropriate by his supervising officer.
Ras was arrested on Aug. 2, 2019 at a residence on the road toward Wickes. According to court documents, he approached the residence carrying a double barreled 12 gauge shotgun. A concerned female resident heard the defendant yelling toward her home. According to court documents, the two had a shouting match, and another witness – the woman’s adult son – saw the defendant point the shotgun at the house. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene after receiving a call from the concerned female resident. Deputies seized the shotgun and observed a live round in the chamber.
