Accused Army deserter freed
DERRICK PERKINS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 6 years, 9 months AGO
NEWS EDITOR Derrick Perkins serves as News Editor at the Daily Inter Lake. He oversees daily news coverage and works closely with reporters to plan, edit and publish stories across print and digital platforms. Perkins helps coordinate coverage of local government, public safety, business and community developments throughout Northwest Montana. He works with the reporting staff to strengthen journalism while maintaining consistent daily coverage. His role helps ensure the newsroom delivers timely, accurate reporting that readers rely on. IMPACT: Derrick’s work keeps readers informed about the decisions and events shaping their communities every day. | February 6, 2020 3:17 PM
Authorities have released a man held in the Lincoln County Detention Center accused of deserting the U.S. Army almost five decades ago.
Officials with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said they let Gary James Armstrong, 68, go Jan. 15 after the warrant for his arrest was quashed. Armstrong was detained while trying to cross the border from Canada on Dec. 27.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials confirmed that officers with the law enforcement agency took Armstrong into custody. Agency spokesman Jason Givens said that border protection agents discovered the felony desertion warrant when Armstrong presented himself for entry.
He later was turned over to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office to await extradition, Givens said.
That wait ended when the warrant was quashed.
The U.S. Army has since removed Armstrong’s name from its online database of deserters. The website previously listed Armstrong as a private before he fled the service.
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