Court Reports: District Court - Houle sentenced on theft charges

Dakota Houle was sentenced in state District Court in Havre Monday to probation on two separate charges to which he pleaded guilty.

Judge Dan Boucher sentenced Houle, born in 1996, to five years, all suspended, on charges stemming from allegations he threatened a man with a pistol March 31, 2017, and stole an assault rifle from him. Boucher also imposed a three-year deferred imposition of sentence on a charge Houle led Rocky Boy police on a high-speed chase in a sports utility vehicle he stole in Great Falls before crashing the vehicle.

Houle crashed the vehicle into a pole after leaving Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation and fled from the scene. The passenger, who was injured in the crash, told officers Houle had picked her up in Great Falls in the vehicle and gave her a ride to the reservation.

The back of the vehicle had been painted to conceal its identity and license plates belonging to another vehicle were on the SUV, a court document said.

In March 2017, a man who

gave Houle a ride - at the request of another person to whom the man was giving a ride - reported that Houle grabbed his assault rifle he was taking it to the shooting range to use in target practice. When the man also grabbed the rifle, Houle pulled a pistol and threatened him until he released the rifle, and Houle fled with it.