(GREAT FALLS) U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme announced that Missoula resident William Dale Newhoff, Jr. was sentenced on November 16 to 69 months in prison for probation and firearms violations after law enforcement officers arrested him following a high-speed chase.
A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office says that Chief U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen sentenced Newhoff, 36 years old, to 51 months followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction on being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
Judge Christensen ordered the sentence to be consecutive to an 18-month prison sentenced imposed earlier in the day by U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy.
Judge Molloy sentenced Newhoff to 18 months in prison after he revoked Newhoff’s supervised release in two earlier cases in which he was convicted of two firearms violations in one case and of escape in a second case.
In January 2018, Newhoff was a federal fugitive. The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office located Newhoff in East Missoula on Jan. 30, 2018 and notified the U.S. Marshal’s Service. After a high-speed chase and extensive search, law enforcement officers arrested Newhoff in a trailer house in Missoula County. When officers found Newhoff standing behind a door, he was holding a 9mm pistol and had ammunition in his jacket pocket. He was arrested without incident.
(FEBRUARY 18, 2018) An armed fugitive that lead authorities on a five-hour manhunt through East Missoula this week told authorities he “wanted to die by cop” but could not follow through.
In court documents, when authorities asked the defendant William “Billy” Newhoff why he caused so much damage to property and put so many lives in danger Tuesday, he responded that he was facing live in prison and figured “it would be better to die.”
Newhoff told authorities after he crashed his truck, he ran looking for a place to hide and found an open door on a trailer. Once he determined no one was inside, he put on the homeowners clothes and locked the door.
Officers found Newhoff nearly five hours later in a trailer on the 500 block of Speedway Loop with the homeowner.
A corporal and deputy saw Newhoff standing behind the door of a room holding pistol in his right hand. The corporal pointed his service weapon at Newhoff and ordered him to show his hands.
Newhoff initially ignored the Corporal’s orders, but later dropped the pistol on the floor.
Authorities directed Newhoff to step out of the doorway, but he refused stating, “just shoot me”, but officers were able to detain Newhoff.
Newhoff made his initial appearance in Missoula County Justice Court Thursday afternoon where his bail was set at $150,000.
