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California man pleads guilty to aggravated assault and criminal mischief

Posted at 2:17 PM, Sep 11, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-11 17:41:48-04

GREAT FALLS – Michael Echeverria pleaded guilty on Monday to charges of aggravated assault and criminal mischief.

He entered a ‘no contest’ plea to a charge of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.

Echeverria admitted that in September 2017 he and the victim got into a fight and he assaulted her.

He also admitted causing more than $1,500 worth of damage to a room at the Heritage Inn hotel during the assault.

He entered the no contest plea on the tampering charge because if he went to trial a judge could find him guilty of the charge.

The state said they will ask for all the other charges to be dropped during the sentencing.

The plea agreement is non-binding and the state has left the sentencing up to Judge John Parker.

At the end of the hearing, Judge Parker accepted the change of plea and said he will set the sentencing for six weeks from now.

Reporting by Margaret DeMarco for MTN News


(SEPTEMBER 8, 2017)
Michael Echeverria made his initial court appearancein Great Falls on Friday, charged with several felonies for reportedly assaulting a woman and stealing her purse at the Best Western Heritage Inn in Great Falls.

According to court documents, a police officer was called to the hotel about a reported disturbance. When the officer arrived, he found Echeverria in a hallway – already handcuffed by another officer, and with a purse strapped over his shoulder.

After entering the hotel room, the officer found a woman naked on the floor and covered in blood. The woman had a laceration near her right temple.

There was blood spattered on the floor, walls, and furniture of the room.

Michael Echeverria in court in Great Falls on September 8 The documents state that after the woman was taken to the hospital, she reported having been in a relationship with Echeverria for four years and being separated for about the last six weeks.

The woman and Echeverria argued, which escalated into a physical fight.

The documents state that Echeverria pulled the woman from the bed and hit her with his fists.

As she tried to leave the room, he knocked her down and hit her stomach, chest, face, and arms.

Witnesses in neighboring rooms reported hearing violent noises, screaming, profanity, and furniture breaking.

Court documents state that the victim has “multiple injuries all over her body.”

Authorities also learned that Echeverria had made threatening phone calls to the woman’s family, and the woman could be heard screaming in the background.

Court documents also state that the victim’s sister received text messages from the victim’s phone which stated: “your scum (sic),” “death to all white scum,” and “death to your children.”

Echeverria has been charged with three felonies including aggravated kidnapping, assault with a weapon, and robbery, as well as misdemeanor partner/family member assault, misdemeanor theft, and misdemeanor “privacy in communications” charge.

Prosecutors requested that bond for Echeverria be set at $150,000.