Warrants still out in Alberton assault case

Two Alberton men with warrants out for their arrest were still at large Monday in an Alberton assault case.

Earl James Perrine, 26, and Jesse Bacon, 41, have been charged with criminal mischief, misdemeanor assault as well as violating an Alberton regulation regarding disturbing the peace. David Abramavage, 47, was arrested on Aug. 16 on the same charges.

Mineral County Judge Wanda James said that the pair would be better off if they turned themselves in.

Three other men have been arrested in a related case and had their first court date Aug. 13.

Christopher Harris, 21, John Pangborn, 21, and Anthony Lee Maier, 18, are still in jail with $25,000 bonds and are facing felony aggravated assault charges despite their attorney’s efforts to get them out of jail.

Mineral County Sheriff Hugh Hopwood said the incident happened on the night of July 29 and the following morning.

According to Hopwood, Abramavage, Perrine and Bacon along with Sean Patrick Barry went to Maier’s home that evening and attempted to get Maier out of the house to fight him.

Maier did not leave his home at that time but Hopwood said that, later that evening, Maier along with Pangborn and Maier went to Barry’s house.

According to the affidavit charging Pangborn, Harris and Maier, Maier went to Barry’s door and lured him outside before assaulting Barry.

Maier denies taking part in the actual assault, however, Barry maintains that he, along with Pangborn and Harris beat him with their fists and feet resulting in a fracture to the left orbit of his eye socket, cutting, bruising and splitting his lower lip, injuries to his jaw and blackened eyes.

Barry had to be taken to St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula for emergency treatment.

No charges have been filed against Barry yet and Hopwood said that the city’s attorney is reviewing case information to decide whether or not to press charges against him for the initial incident.

“What people need to understand is that the prosecutors in these cases take a little time to review this and they can’t just make a snap judgment,” Hopwood said.

The Mineral County Sheriff’s office has also been receiving negative comments from an arrest in a related incident.

Hopwood said that on August 10, officers were informed that Bacon was at a bar in Alberton and they went to serve the warrant. Upon arriving at the scene they found out that it was not Jesse Bacon, but his cousin Jacob Bacon, who coincidently had a warrant out in another county.

“Whenever there is a warrant we have to make the arrest, we don’t have any other options,” Hopwood said.

Bacon was in town to attend a memorial service for Daniel Hanson, grandson of Alberton Mayor Joe Hanson, when he was arrested on the out-of-county warrant.

Hopwood said that people have complained that Bacon should not have been brought in immediately and that the arrest seemed arbitrary.

“The timing is really unfortunate on that and I know it,” Hopwood said. “They didn’t go down there looking for the guy or looking to cause any problems.”

The sheriff’s office is still looking for Perrine and Bacon and Hopwood maintains that his office is working hard to protect the citizens of Alberton.

“We’re not out to get anybody and we’re not out to play favorites with anybody. We’re just doing what the law says we’re required to do,” Hopwood said.