Columbia Falls Therapist Pleads Not Guilty to Child Sex Abuse, Drug Charges
Scott Thomas McFarlane, 41, entered the pleas in Flathead County District Court after authorities recovered thousands of videos of child sex abuse material in September. He is being held in the Flathead County Detention Center on a $1 million bond.
By Maggie Dresser
A 41-year-old Columbia Falls therapist accused of possessing roughly 3,000 videos of child sexual abuse has pleaded not guilty to 15 felony counts of sexual abuse of children and two felony counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs.
Scott Thomas McFarlane, a licensed clinical social worker, entered the pleas during an Oct. 1 hearing in Flathead County District Court before Judge Danni Coffman.
McFarlane has been held in the Flathead County Detention Center on a $1 million bond since his Sept. 2 arrest. He is scheduled to stand trial on March 29, 2027. If convicted, he faces up to 100 years in the Montana State Prison on the sexual abuse of children charges, with no eligibility for parole during the first 25 years, and up to five years in the Montana State Prison for each drug charge.
According to an affidavit filed by Deputy Flathead County Attorney Larissa Malloy, authorities executed a search warrant at a Shadow Wood Drive residence located in Columbia Falls on the morning of Sept. 2 and arrested McFarlane. The landlord confirmed McFarlane was the only person on the lease.
Officers found a cell phone, multiple knives, a pistol and a handcuff key on McFarlane, the affidavit states. Inside the home, they reported finding a significant number of weapons and ammunition, some positioned throughout the house for quick access, along with several sets of handcuffs.
Investigators seized several electronic devices, including a computer on which they discovered approximately 3,000 videos identified as child sexual abuse material, according to court records. Flathead County Sheriff’s Office detectives reviewed a sample of 15 files provided by agents with the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation; the affidavit describes the material as depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent girls, including content involving an animal.
Law enforcement also found unmarked firearm suppressors, some staged for easy retrieval, and two bags of suspected illegal drugs. Testing confirmed them to be ecstasy, a Schedule I substance, and ketamine, a Schedule III substance.
In the garage, investigators found an improvised explosive device, along with files on McFarlane’s computer referencing instructions for making explosives.
According to charging documents, law enforcement is prioritizing the forensic analysis of the seized devices, a process expected to take at least 90 days.
A records check shows McFarlane is a licensed clinical social worker and therapist whose practices has included work with children as young as 6, as well as clients dealing with sexual abuse, trauma and PTSD, suicidal ideation, and impulse control disorders. He has lived in Flathead County for several years and, prior to going into private practice, worked at Kids Behavioral Health of Montana, Inc. from September 2018 to March 2021.