A Libby man was led away in handcuffs last week after being sentenced in Lincoln County District Court for his role in a road-rage incident last year.

Casey James Chartier, 35, pleaded guilty in December to assault with a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm and witness tampering. Other charges were dropped in exchange for his plea.

An agreement between the county and Chartier calls for him to serve a total of 12 years on the three counts with no time suspended.

District Judge Matt Cuffe did not waver from the deal, sentencing Chartier to serve the term in the Montana State Prison.

“This is a significant case and the agreement is very appropriate,” Cuffe said.

Chartier received 12 years for the assault with a weapon conviction and 2 years each for the unlawful possession of a firearm and witness tampering charges. The sentences will run concurrent, which means Chartiers is on the hook for a dozen years. He received credit for 51 days served in the county jail.

He spoke briefly, saying he was, “Back on my medication and doing better.”

His defense attorney, Maury Solomon, asked that one condition — that he may not speak to the adult victim — be lifted.

“She may seek a marital union with Mr. Chartier someday,” Solomon said.

Prosecutor Lauren O’Neill had no issue with the request but didn’t want Chartier to be able to have contact with the juvenile victims.

Cuffe agreed with that, but did lift the no contact provision concerning the adult victim.

At his Sept. 22, 2025, arraignment, Chartier initially pleaded not guilty to three counts of criminal endangerment, two counts each of assault with a weapon and felony possession of dangerous drugs, one count of intimidation, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted person. He also pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanors, criminal possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle.

The case began in the late-evening hours of Saturday, Aug. 30, when county deputy Joshua Brabo got a call about a possible road-rage incident on U.S. 2 in the Whiskey Hill area. 

The victims, a passenger in a vehicle, said her boyfriend, Chartier, was trying to run it off the road. The driver of the vehicle, whose daughter was also in the vehicle, took evasive driving actions several times to avoid colliding with Chartier’s vehicle.

The group of three people fled to the county sheriff’s office. Later, according to court documents, Chartier returned to the residence he shared with the victim and sent threatening text messages to the people. Chartier allegedly threatened to destroy her property, including multiple vehicles parked at the residence.

The victim showed law enforcement multiple text and voice mail messages that Chartier reportedly sent, saying he would commit violence against the trio.

When Chartiers was arrested outside the sheriff’s office, officer Brabo found a concealed handgun in the driver’s side door pocket. He also found a plastic bag that allegedly contained several acetaminophen hydrocodone pills, a small amount of methamphetamine.

According to Brabo’s report, Chartier has a prior conviction of assault with a weapon and is a registered violent offender which means he can’t legally possess a firearm.

Chartier faced an assault with weapon charge in 2019. He pleaded guilty and received a 5-year sentence with two years suspended.