A Cascade County detention officer has been charged with felony assault with a weapon and misdemeanor partner family member assault for an early Sunday morning incident.

Cascade County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched around 3 a.m. Aug. 17 to 1015 4th Ave. S. for a report that Lloyde Paul Ogden, Jr. was threatening suicide, on several behavioral health medications, was drinking and had retrieved his handgun.

At the time the call was dispatched, Great Falls Police officers were handling a fatal vehicle crash in the city limits and had requested CCSO to take calls within the city limits, Sheriff Jesse Slaughter said.

Crime roundup: Standoff; corrections officer arrested; follow-up on May incidents [2023]

Ogden’s wife told dispatchers that she’d tried to take the weapon away from him and was in their house with their three children, according to court documents.

Ogden allegedly kicked his wife in the knee and stomach and pointed the weapon at her multiple times while saying, “if you try to take the gun again, I’m gonna shoot you and kill myself,” according to court documents.

On scene, deputies gave commands over a bullhorn and phone communication was later established, Slaughter said.

Ogden briefly appeared at the door, but ignored deputies commands and went back inside.

His wife exited the house, provided additional information and was evaluated by medical personnel for minor injuries, Slaughter said.

County officials begin discussion of jail funding model

Sometime after deputies arrived on scene, Odgen’s brother, James Ogden, picked him up and drove him to his house at 1406 5th Ave. N., later telling investigators that he “went and scooped him up.”

On the phone, Ogden told deputies a family member had picked him up and agreed to meet deputies at his brother’s house.

At that point, deputies entered Ogden’s home, the site of the initial call, to secure the three children. The firearm wasn’t located there, but a live pistol cartridge was recovered, Slaughter said.

James Ogden has been charged with felony counts of obstruction and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.

Locals ask county not to cooperate with ICE; county jail has existing contract for federal holds

Deputies located Lloyde Ogden at his brother’s house and James Ogden told deputies he was unaware of a missing firearm and that he’d need to speak with Lloyde before making any decisions after being advised that he could face criminal charges for concealing evidence, according to court documents.

A search warrant was executed at James Ogden’s property where the firearm was located in one of the vehicles, according to court documents.

Lloyde Ogden is being held in the Choteau County jail as he was a detention officer and supervisor in the Cascade County jail, Sheriff Jesse Slaughter said.

Prosecutors requested a $250,000 bond for his initial court appearance on Aug. 18.

Woman charged for February jail drug smuggling

Lloyd “presents a severe risk to himself or others based upon his conduct, mental health status and a high bond is necessary to protect the public, specifically the defendant’s wife and children, from serious bodily injury or death based upon his conduct, his flight from law enforcement and his willingness to use relatives to harbor him,” prosecutors wrote in their charging documents.

But through investigation Monday morning, County Attorney Josh Racki said officials learned more about the Aug. 17 incident and earlier June incident that caused them to ask for a higher bond.

GFPD responded to a June 19 domestic disturbance call in which Lloyde Ogden was threatening suicide while armed, Slaughter said.

Judge John Parker set bond at $500,000 and Racki said his office would be adding more charges.

Racki told The Electric that Odgen’s wife and family members wouldn’t talk to investigators after the June incident. He said he sent officers twice to speak to the wife and she wouldn’t cooperate.

During investigation of the Aug. 17 incident, Racki said that they discovered that during the June incident, Ogden had given an unloaded gun to his 5-year-old child.

The child didn’t know the weapon wasn’t loaded, Racki said, and Ogden convinced the child to be on his side, point the weapon at his mom and pull the trigger.

Prosecutors requested a $100,000 bond for James Ogden since he “actively attempted to deceive deputies during their investigation, harbored a fugitive, who was his brother, and concealed the firearm in a toolbox on his vehicle and presents a danger to the public based upon his willingness to harbor a wanted felon who was engaged in behaviors which represented serious concerns for personal safety for his brothers family,” according to court documents.

Counties, state grapple with mental health in criminal justice system as state hospital delays persist

Slaughter said during the June incident, “family members were evacuated to safety after reports of physical assault and threats with a handgun. Video evidence and witness accounts documented Ogden behaving aggressively while armed, and during subsequent phone conversations with a Sheriff’s Office co-worker, he admitted to assaulting a family member and threatening others. Ogden’s victims and witnesses refused to cooperate or provide statements to police.”

Ogden was not charged in that incident, but during the investigation, Ogden voluntarily entered an inpatient treatment program in Florida from June 26 to Aug. 1.

Criminal case dismissed due to state hospital delays; other cases remain in limbo waiting for mental health evaluation, treatment

CCSO began an internal affairs investigation into Ogden on Aug. 5 and during an Aug. 12 interview, Slaughter said that Ogden gave conflicting statements about the June incident, admitting to policy violations but denying criminal conduct and multiple witnesses failed to appear for scheduled interviews.

Slaughter said the victims and witnesses seemed to be participating in the current investigation and their uncooperation in the June incident was a “red flag.”

“The escalating pattern of dangerous and criminal behavior exhibited by this employee represents a clear threat to public safety and a serious breach of the ethics every law enforcement officer takes,” Slaughter said. “No one is above the law, and we will not tolerate criminal conduct by our personnel under any circumstances.”

CCSO’s internal investigation is continuing, Slaughter said.

Ogden was hired by CCSO in July 2021 and has been on paid administrative leave since the June incident. As of Aug. 18, he’s on unpaid administrative leave while going through the process outlined in the detention officers collective bargaining agreement.

Slaughter said Ogden had not been serving in any capacity for the sheriff’s office while on leave from the June incident.

Slaughter said he wasn’t aware of any other incidents or issues involving Ogden prior to the June incident.

He said that the hiring and vetting process has changed since 2021 and that CCSO is continuing to improve that process.