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Kalispell Man Sentenced to Prison for Using Bear Spray on Officers

Devin Andrew Lelm attacked two Flathead County Sheriff’s deputies with bear spray in February

By Justin Franz

A Kalispell man has been sentenced to the Montana State Prison nine months after he sprayed two Flathead County Sheriff’s deputies in the face with bear spray.

Devin Andrew Lelm was given a 15-year prison sentence with a five-year parole restriction at a sentencing hearing on Nov. 4 in Flathead County District Court.

According to court documents, the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a suspicious man looking into the windows of an Evergreen gas station shortly after 1 a.m. on Feb. 1.

Two deputies responded to the location a short time later and made contact with Lelm, who sprayed both officers in the face with mace meant to stop bears. Despite being temporarily blinded by the bear spray, the deputies were able to subdue Lelm and place him under arrest.

Lelm was charged with two counts of felony assault on a peace officer in February. He initially pleaded not guilty but later took a plea agreement.

Lelm was previously convicted of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and assault with a weapon and was on probation. In October 2014, Lelm threatened a woman with a knife in the parking lot of the Kalispell Center Mall.