Montana DOJ Holding Arsonists & Other Criminals Accountable

Remember that fire back in the summer of 2021 that destroyed 14 homes on Finley Point? The fire North of Polson, Montana forced evacuations and caused a lot of damage- damage that I could still see firsthand after driving along Flathead Lake this past weekend.

The arsonist who set that fire, and another fire just North of Evaro Hill, has now been sentenced for his crimes.  It's been a busy and successful couple of months putting criminals behind bars, according to the Montana Department of Justice and Attorney General Austin Knudsen's (R-MT) office.

Last week, I caught up with Dan Guzynski, who heads up the Prosecution Services Bureau in the Montana Attorney General’s Office. We talked about the surge in violent crime in rural Montana, particularly homicides, and the need for a collaborative approach involving law enforcement, prosecutors, and community leaders to address underlying causes such as drug abuse, domestic violence, and lack of mental health treatment.

We also talked about new laws now on the books, thanks to the Montana Legislature and Governor Gianforte (R-MT), that hold fentanyl dealers accountable. He attributed the rise in violence to the influx of drugs pouring into rural Montana.

Dan Guzynski: "In 2018, I was looking at some numbers, Aaron, we had less than 10 homicides as a group in Montana. Today, in 2024, we're averaging 30 homicides, and most of those are in rural Montana...not only do we, have you seen that in places like Billings and Missoula, but now it's really, really seeping into rural Montana, which is really unfortunate, because it's such a special place."

Full audio of our chat with Dan Guzynski: