PRESS
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Research shows that diverting low-risk offenders (first time felons with crimes not violent or sexual in nature) to community supervision, rather than jail, is highly effective in breaking vicious cycles of crime and re-offense. This makes our community safer.
“PIVOT is the second pretrial diversion program, following Missoula County, which launched its the Calibrate diversion program in 2019 and has since reported promising results. According to a study from the University of Montana’s Department of Sociology and Criminology, those who completed the Calibrate program were 87% less likely to be arrested.”
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Bozeman Daily Chronicle
KBZK (November 12)
KBZK (November 21)The man accused of killing Laysa Grewell of Belgrade in a head-on crash while driving the wrong way on I-90 in January 2024 was sentenced to prison on Tuesday. Alexander Ledoux was sentenced to 30 years in the Montana State Prison after pleading guilty to vehicular homicide and criminal endangerment in September 2024.
"I just prayed in my head that justice would be served righteously, and I am very comfortable knowing that justice was served that day for Laysa," Kody Pullen said.
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"As the Gallatin County Attorney, I want to assure our community that our office is fully committed to pursuing justice in this devastating case. Daren Abbey has been charged with homicide and tampering with evidence, and we will work diligently to present all available evidence and facts to the court. We understand that this case has deeply affected our community, and we are determined to handle it with the utmost professionalism and integrity. Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and loved ones as we proceed through the legal process."
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“This grant represents a major step forward in our commitment to assist our neighbors struggling with serious mental illnesses. By improving our community-based services, we aim to offer better alternatives to state hospital commitments, reduce unnecessary incarcerations, and minimize interactions with the criminal justice system,” said Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell. “This funding will enable us to build a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach that not only addresses the immediate health needs but also improves overall social outcomes for those we serve. We are committed to transforming the lives of our most vulnerable residents through this innovative, multi-disciplinary approach."
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Yellowstone Public Radio
Bozeman MagazineDeveloped by the Gallatin County Attorney’s Office and Gallatin County Court Services, the PIVOT Program evaluates nonviolent defendants through an evidence-based needs assessment (ORAS) to identify the underlying factors contributing to criminal behavior. Based on the assessment, a court services officer develops a customized plan for the defendant to address accountability, victim restoration, the defendant’s barriers to health, and connects the defendant to services offered in the community.
Participants who meet the program’s criteria may be diverted to the program before charges are filed or may be offered a deferred prosecution agreement by the prosecutor. This agreement allows defendants to avoid prosecution and/or a conviction if they fulfill the conditions of the program, which includes supervision, treatment, and accountability measures.
“Research shows that diverting low-risk offenders to community supervision, rather than imprisonment, is highly effective in reducing recidivism,” said Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell. “We designed the PIVOT program to address the root causes of criminal behavior and strengthen positive ties to the community. Studies show that when offenders receive the support and rehabilitation they need, they are less likely to re-offend, which ultimately makes our community safer. For instance, if someone is unhoused and struggling with addiction, Court Services can connect them with housing assistance through HRDC, counseling from a licensed addiction counselor, and regular drug and alcohol testing for accountability. Too often, we see the same individuals repeatedly on our dockets. With this program, we aim to equip offenders with the tools for lasting, healthy change so they don’t fall back into the criminal justice system.”
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The Montana Department of Justice released their fentanyl mandatory minimum report.
So far in 2024, six people have been convicted, three coming out of Missoula County, two in Butte-Silver Bow, and one in Gallatin County.
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"The dockets are more efficient, processes are more efficient, and so we can get justice more quickly for victims,” said Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell.
That’s because at the federal level, prosecution typically last six months, as opposed to nearly two years at the county level, and domestic violence cases are some of the most difficult to prosecute due to the complex relationships that often exist between the offender and the injured party.
"It matters, not only from a quality perspective and providing resources for the complexity of the cases, but also for decreasing caseloads here,” said Cromwell.
Decreasing caseloads will make a significant difference in Gallatin County, as the county attorney’s office is severely understaffed.
"We just generally are feeling the pinch of having too many cases to prosecute," she said.
Caseloads for each Gallatin County attorney are currently above the determined maximum allowable safe limit of 175 points per attorney and not by a case or two -- each attorney currently has a case load that ranges from 95 to 475 points above the maximum allowable limit.
Of the six largest counties in the state, the Gallatin County Attorney’s Office has the smallest budget per capita and only 23 full-time employees. For comparison, Cascade County has 31 full-time employees, while Missoula County has 46, and both jurisdictions serve a smaller number of residents than Gallatin County.
"We are understaffed by about 40%, and that leads to challenges such as inability to prosecute cases as quickly as we want, difficulties charging cases and making sure that every case that should be charged is charged,” said Cromwell.
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Three Forks Voice
Miles City Star
U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities, including both Bozeman and Gallatin County, across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022.”As the County Attorney in Gallatin County, I witness firsthand the devastating impact of domestic violence on families and communities,” said Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell. “Gallatin County’s designation as a VAWA jurisdiction and partnership with the US Attorney‘s Office marks a crucial advancement in our fight against domestic violence. By collaborating at both local and federal levels, we enhance our capability to tackle the complexities of these cases, especially those involving gun violence. Our joint efforts are not only aimed at reducing domestic violence and preventing homicides but also at providing robust support to survivors, ensuring they have the resources and protection necessary to rebuild and thrive. This initiative underscores our commitment to a safer, more just community.”
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U.S. Department of Justice: District of Montana
U.S. Justice Department to work with the Gallatin County Attorney and City of Bozeman under the Violence Against Women Act, Prioritizing Firearms Prosecutions of Domestic Violence Offenders
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This column is signed Kristin Taylor and other concerned Bozeman citizens: Dr. Colette Kirchhoff, Betsy Swartz, David Quammen, Betsy Gaines Quammen, Sam Bayard, Dede Taylor, Kate Brantley, Matt Bushue, Amanda Ford, Wes Siler, Andras Rosner, Michael Caracciolo, Betsy Danforth, Cora Neumann, Elise Striebel, Margaret Davies.
"Over the last 20 years, while Gallatin County’s population has nearly doubled, the number of prosecutors and staff in the County Attorney’s Office has remained mostly unchanged. Many are handling caseloads that exceed three times the national standard for max prosecutorial workload. This is not only alarming but also poses a significant threat to public safety.
In 2012, the Gallatin County Attorney’s Office prosecuted just over 300 felonies. By 2023 the number of felony cases filed had surged to over 900! Despite this dramatic increase, the office operates with almost the same number of prosecutors it did over a decade ago. This situation is untenable. Overburdened prosecutors can lead to justice being denied for victims, little to no focus on rehabilitative and mental health policies, offenders walking free, and ultimately a breakdown in the criminal justice system."
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In response to recent press surrounding my emergency budget request for Fiscal Year 2025:
As Gallatin County has grown, the County Attorney’s Office has not grown with it: with 125,000 residents, we recently surpassed Missoula County in population—yet while the Missoula County Attorney’s Office employs 26 prosecutors, the Gallatin County Attorney’s Office (with every allocated position filled) employs 14. Our hardworking prosecutors currently shoulder 300-500% of the national standards for maximum felony caseloads. This is not only untenable, it is incredibly dangerous, as unsafe caseloads risk—not only the well-being of dedicated public servants in my office—but also victims’ rights and public safety.
Prosecutors are a critical component on the public safety continuum, and as with law enforcement, must grow to match our community’s public safety requirements. That is why I recently proposed an emergency request to the Gallatin County Commission for a phased hiring plan starting in 2025. Over the next three years, this plan would invest in the necessary prosecutors and staff needed to match the escalating demands of our county. Every law enforcement agency in Gallatin County supported me in my request for additional staff.
The Commission acknowledges that our office is in a staffing crisis. In an effort to be transparent with our community, I restated their public no-vote to 50% of my emergency request to the press. Their decision to retaliate by delaying the hiring of 2 critical prosecutors they had already approved, harms Gallatin County and makes our public safety crisis worse.
As your Gallatin County Attorney, the public can expect transparency from me. I have a responsibility to ensure that our community is a safe place to live, work, and go to school, and I remain committed to working in good faith with the commission to resolve this public safety crisis.
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“It’s been an honor to witness Bozeman Health’s deep commitment to advancing mental health best practices in our community over the past couple of years,” shared Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell. “Bozeman Health’s partnership with Gallatin County and the County Attorney’s Office exemplifies our collaborative efforts to develop and implement a comprehensive system that effectively supports community members in crisis. For that partnership and strategic vision, I am grateful.”
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Among the positions denied by the commission was an additional FY25 and FY26 criminal attorney, a civil attorney and an additional legal assistant. Two items were also placed into the “parking garage,” a metaphorical holding ground for the commission to reconsider them later in the budget process. Those included a title change for an employee and additional funding for contract attorneys.
“Commissioners MacFarlane and Brown sent a message that funding more prosecutors is ‘sort-of’ a priority. Meanwhile, my office remains in crisis,” Cromwell said via email. “Because of the commissioners’ ‘no’ votes, I remain in the awful position of having to tell law enforcement and victims that we cannot proceed with cases like we should. And the only reason is because we don’t have the funding.”
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“The Commissioner of Securities Insurance (CSI) and Gallatin County Attorney charged four men with engaging in a conspiracy to defraud investors, farmers, and the State of Montana through various means, including a Ponzi scheme,” a press release from the office of Troy Downing, the commissioner of securities and insurance, said.
Today, four of the men involved in Isotex Health, including two practicing attorneys, stand accused of running a Ponzi scheme and defrauding investors, farmers and the State of Montana of more than $6 million.
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“The big change was the types of calls we received. So the severity of crimes, the amount of time and investigation that it takes in each call is continuing to grow,” says Chief Veltkamp.
“In 2022, the department investigated 546 possible felony cases. In 2023, that number jumped to 743. The department filed requests for prosecution in 395 of those cases in 2023, up 28% from 308 in 2022.”
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Charging documents say when he crashed into Grewell he was going 100 mph with a blood alcohol level of .198.
Ledoux was charged with vehicular homicide while under the influence, fleeing from or eluding a peace officer and six counts of criminal endangerment.
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Association of Prosecuting Attorneys
Justice delayed is justice denied. This oft-repeated legal phrase is playing out in prosecutors’ offices across the country. According to a recent survey of 31 prosecutors’ offices across 24 states by the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (APA), there has been an average increase of 62% in case backlogs since the court disruptions due to COVID-19. As with many other areas of society, the pandemic exacerbated a long-standing problem.
Audrey Cromwell, Gallatin County attorney in Montana discovered this when she took office a year ago. She found 500 felony cases that hadn’t even been reviewed. Some hadn’t been touched in 15 years. “It’s my priority and hope that we focus on ‘people crime’ first, and that’s not what was happening. The easier cases were being filed.”
Backlogs like the one in Gallatin County jeopardize public safety. Cromwell relied on volunteer hours from public attorneys to review the untouched assault cases. She found that 40% of the sexual assault cases could not be prosecuted because they had already expired beyond the statute of limitations.
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BOZEMAN — At a bail modification hearing for Lilly Laroque—accused of vehicular homicide while under the influence in the death of Manhattan teen Delaney Doherty—Judge Andrew Breuner left Laroque's bail amount unchanged at $150,000.
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On March 4, Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell and Prosecuting Attorney Randy Neal out of Bonneville County, Idaho stated that based on further investigation, prosecutors now believe Stedman was murdered in Bozeman before Foiles was found with her deceased body in Idaho Falls.
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BOZEMAN — There have been 21 strangulation referrals brought to the Gallatin County Attorney’s Office in 2024, according to County Attorney Audrey Cromwell.
Bozeman Police Detective Captain Dana McNeil says that the department has noticed an uptick in strangulation cases in Bozeman.
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Based on further investigation by Idaho and Montana law enforcement officers, prosecutors now believe that the Megan Stedman homicide occurred in Bozeman, Montana rather than in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Bonneville County Prosecuting Attorney Randy Neal and Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell have worked cooperatively to have the case against Chris Brandon Foiles charged in Montana.
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In a joint news release, Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell and Prosecuting Attorney Randy Neal of Bonneville County, Idaho, stated that based on further investigation, prosecutors now believe Stedman was murdered in Bozeman before Foiles was found with her deceased body in Idaho Falls.
According to Cromwell, the Gallatin County Attorney's Office filed charges against Foiles on Friday, March 1. Law enforcement in Montana and Idaho are working to extradite him to Montana on a $1 million warrant.
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BOZEMAN — MTN News has obtained charging documents filed in Gallatin County on Tuesday that reveal more alleged details about a fatal crash near Three Forks that killed 22-year-old Laysa Grewell early morning on Jan. 4, 2024.
The Gallatin County Attorney’s Office alleges in court documents that Alexander Norbert LeDoux drove his vehicle the wrong way on I-90 for approximately 20 miles before colliding with Grewell on Jan. 4.
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Shortly after being elected Gallatin County Attorney, Audrey Cromwell said she found boxes of cases that had NEVER been prosecuted. These boxes contained cases involving sex crimes, sexual assaults, and sex crimes against children. There were more than 100 of them going back to 2002.
Cromwell pledged to give these cases a second look, and she joined us on the radio Wednesday morning to give us an update on that effort. I took notes during our chat and here's what stood out to me:
-22% of those cases are now moving forward for prosecution.
-charges have already been filed in some of these cases
-some cases are 10-15 years old, with some of the cases falling outside of the statute of limitations
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National Criminal Justice Association
“Our office struggles with the same issues plaguing prosecutor’s offices around the country. My attorneys each have caseloads in excess of 3-times the national standards and I have hundreds of felony cases waiting to be reviewed for prosecution," said Audrey Cromwell, County Attorney in Gallatin County, Mont.
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County Attorney Audrey Cromwell questioned several officers about what happened leading up to the shooting.
The courtroom heard audio from multiple 911 calls and phone calls. A few of the phone calls were between officers and Rogel’s mother who revealed to police that her son had a history of mental illness and was supposed to be taking antipsychotics.
The county attorney called several more police officers to the stand to talk about what happened that day before the case went to the jury, ultimately finding that the shooting by police was justified.
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As your Gallatin County Attorney and elected public servant, I believe in on-going transparency and accountability to the community.
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Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell says this system can also be used to help connect victims of domestic violence with victim advocates and, based on these questions, they can help find appropriate resources. There's an initial set of questions for law enforcement to fill out on scene and a second set to better inform other agencies like these advocates or medical professionals on what they need to know about the case.
Not only is this a tool for all these agencies to use, but it also has the second sort of policing philosophy where you're taking the time to sit down and ask questions and listen to the victim and make sure that they're adequately taken care of.
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Newly elected County Attorney Audrey Cromwell announced last month she discovered boxes of cases in the office referred for prosecution by law enforcement but never reviewed by attorneys in her office. The county identified 113 cases from 2008 to 2022.
“I want to be clear that law enforcement did everything properly,” Cromwell said in a statement about the discovery and plan to move forward. “The failure has been at the County Attorney’s Office, and that stops now.”
Cromwell took office in January this year.
“Clearly these cases were deprioritized by the former administration. No action had been taken on any of these cases, with the longest case sitting for the past 14 years,” Cromwell said in a statement.
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With a growing community, that can mean a growing need for the prosecution of crimes. And now, the Gallatin County Attorney’s Office says it needs more bodies in the courtroom.
“The caseload is crushing right now. My attorneys have about four times the cases that they should have,” said Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell.
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"Clearly these cases were deprioritized by the former administration," Cromwell said in a statement. "No action had been taken on any of these cases, with the longest case sitting for the past 14 years."
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BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — The Gallatin County attorney is creating a task force to look at more than 100 cases — the majority alleging sexual violence — that her predecessor's office apparently did not review to see if charges could still be brought.
Audrey Cromwell said Wednesday that in going through her new offices she found boxes under a desk and in a closet containing 113 requests for prosecution that she said had not been reviewed.
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