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Suspect in indecent exposure case committed to state Department of Health and Human Services

DERRICK PERKINS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 6 months, 3 weeks AGO
by DERRICK PERKINS
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. | October 31, 2025 12:00 AM

A man arrested in 2023 for allegedly exposing himself to two young girls in Kalispell received a five-year commitment to the state Department of Health and Human Services earlier this year.  

John Thomas Cohenour IV, 36, pleaded not guilty in Flathead County District Court to one felony count of indecent exposure June 1, 2023. Shortly thereafter, he was ordered to undergo a mental health examination at the request of his defense attorney.  

In September 2024, Cohenour accepted a plea deal offered by prosecutors. In exchange for a guilty plea to an amended charge of felony criminal endangerment, prosecutors agreed to recommend the five-year commitment. 

Judge Danni Coffman stuck to the terms of the agreement at Cohenour's June 5, 2025 sentencing. She gave him credit for 743 days of time served and waived all court fines and fees.  

Kalispell Police officers arrested Cohenour on May 23, 2023 after two girls, aged 12 and 13, reported a man stopping in front of them on Appleway Drive and pulling down his pants, according to court documents. Officers later located Cohenour, who matched the description of the man given by the girls, in the neighborhood.  

Asked what brought him to the area, Cohenour allegedly told authorities he was "looking for skirts." He later admitted to exposing his genitals, court documents said. 

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or [email protected].


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