Ronan man sentenced for child sex abuse
JEFF SMITH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 months, 3 weeks AGO
Jeff Smith is news director for Anderson Broadcasting and a contributor to the Lake County Leader. | June 18, 2026 12:00 AM
A Ronan man, with two prior convictions for sexual abuse of children, was sentenced to 10 years in the Montana State Prison with five years suspended on another charge of the same.
The sentence for Lawrence Mays, 36, was handed down in District Court in Polson June 11. Mays was found guilty of sexual abuse of children by way of a plea agreement reached earlier that dismisses another count of sexual abuse of children.
Mays was on probation stemming from his conviction in 2012 in Missoula County, and prohibited from having internet or mobile phones. When his probation officers conducted a routine search of his Ronan residence, they located three phones, and found child sex abuse material on two.
Judge John A. Mercer gave Mays credit for having already served 352 days in jail.
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