A violent offender with a long history of gun-related violence has been extradited back to Montana more than a month after he was caught by California authorities.

Christopher Robert Showen, 35, was booked into the Flathead County Detention Center on Oct. 10. Bail has been set at $175,000. Showen had not made an initial appearance in court as of Tuesday afternoon and an arraignment in Flathead District Court had not yet been set.

He was wanted for allegedly jumping bail and fleeing Montana instead of attending sentencing for an August 2014 shooting incident.

Showen was caught by the Vacaville Police Department on Sept. 2 after he skipped Flathead County for a June 4 sentencing. Showen had agreed to plead guilty via an Alford plea in April to felony assault with a weapon as part of an agreement where a second charge was dropped. An Alford plea is not an admission of guilt, but the defendant admits he is likely to be found guilty at trial. Showen was convicted of firing three rounds at a motorcycle rider and passenger on Montana 35.

In addition to sentencing for that incident, Showen also faces a new bail jumping charge that resulted after he missed sentencing. The charge carries a possible 10-year prison sentence and $500 fine.

Showen also is accused of breaking terms of probation and parole for a five-year suspended sentence he received in 2006 for conspiracy to commit assault with a weapon after a shootout at the Eureka police station.

Prior to those convictions, Showen had been convicted in 2004 of misdemeanor reckless endangerment for shooting a handgun at people attending a bonfire in Alaska.

He was acquitted of murder charges in Flathead County in 1998. In that case, Showen was accused of shooting his 19-year-old friend and burning his car.

Reporter Megan Strickland may be reached at 758-4459 or by email at mstrickland@dailyinterlake.com.