A man suspected of ransacking a Kalispell church last month has pleaded not guilty to a felony burglary charge.  

Cody Scott Lindahl, 30, of Kalispell was arraigned in Flathead County District Court before Judge Paul Sullivan on July 2. Sullivan set an omnibus hearing for Aug. 5 with a pretrial conference on Sept. 29.  

The burglary on the 500 block of Main Street came to light about 8:45 a.m., June 26. That's when an employee of a nonprofit that rents an office in the church noticed displaced objects and a broken doorknob, according to court documents. 

Kalispell Police officers swept through the building and described coming across damaged doors, deadbolts and filing cabinets as well as items left in odd places. Two checkbooks were reported as stolen from the filing cabinets, a master key was missing and several sets of cupboards were rummaged through, court documents said.  

Reviewing surveillance footage, investigators saw a man enter through a window on the west side of the building. Another shot showed the same man leave through a different door.  

Authorities compared photos of Lindahl, some taken from the lobby of the Police Department the day prior, with the footage to identify him as the burglar, court documents said.  

Officers spotted Lindahl on a bicycle about a block away from the church about 3 a.m., June 27. They caught up with him outside a Main Street pizzeria about 40 minutes later, court documents said.  

Arrested, Lindahl was taken to the county jail. Detention center staff pulled a small bag containing what they suspected as methamphetamine from his left shoe, court documents said. Investigators later sent the bag to the Montana State Crime Lab.  

Lindahl remains behind bars in the county jail with bail set at $200,000. A bail modification hearing in the case is scheduled for Aug. 20. 

If convicted of burglary, Lindahl faces up to 20 years behind bars and a $50,000 fine. 

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 406-758-4430 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.