The protesters charged for allegedly blocking a U.S. Border Patrol vehicle in Whitefish last year are hammering out a plea deal with prosecutors.  

Leanette Galaz, Colton Little and Aggie Putnam were originally scheduled for an omnibus in Whitefish Municipal Court on Jan. 7, but Judge Caitlin Overland scrapped the hearing in light of the pending agreement. The trio is now scheduled for a change of plea hearing on Feb. 18. 

Jacob Johnson, the attorney representing the protesters, said his clients had been working with the city of Whitefish to reach a plea agreement. The deal was not finalized by press time.  

Both Johnson and the city prosecutor’s office declined to provide details about the terms of the prospective agreement. 

All three pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor counts of negligent endangerment and public nuisance on Nov. 5.  

The charges stem from a pair of September confrontations that occurred outside the Whitefish Border Patrol station, where a handful of demonstrators had gathered to protest the detainment of Luisa Torres and her 17-year-old daughter, Fergie Diaz. 

Videos posted to social media show Flathead Democracy organizer Leanette Galaz standing on the sidewalk in front of the Border Patrol building’s parking lot and blocking the way of a truck attempting to exit on the night of Sept. 15. Another person can be seen walking backward in front of the truck as it drove down U.S. 93. 

Whitefish Police officers responded to the confrontation about 11 p.m. Nobody was charged at the time, but an amended complaint referenced the encounter, stating the protesters “obstruct[ed] traffic as agents attempted to leave the property during the night to go home, including standing in front of vehicles in the highway, creating a substantial risk of bodily injury or property damage, as well as blocking the flow of traffic.” 

Whitefish Police officers arrested Galaz, Little and Putnam around 8 a.m. on Sept. 16, after they allegedly linked arms to block a second Border Patrol vehicle from departing the station. The protesters stated they believed the vehicle was transporting Torres and Diaz to an out-of-state immigration facility.   

All three protesters were originally charged with misdemeanor counts for disorderly conduct, criminal trespass and obstructing a peace officer. The city of Whitefish filed a motion to alter the charges to include the Sept. 15 confrontation on Oct. 20. 

Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at 758-4433 or [email protected].