The man convicted of evidence tampering in connection with a 2022 homicide in Evergreen received a new five-year sentence in April after a spate of probation violations.  

Prosecutors sought to revoke 32-year-old Joseph Michael-James Malinowski's suspended five-year sentence in Flathead County District Court earlier this year after his probation and parole officer filed a report detailing the transgressions. The violations included using methamphetamine, drinking alcohol, getting arrested in Butte and associating with other individuals on probation without permission.  

"[Malinowski] has struggled being on community supervision," wrote Jerry Finley, a Butte-based probation and parole officer, in January. "He struggles to maintain employment, residence, and his illegal drug use has continued now for approximately 10 months." 

Malinowski appeared back in court on Feb. 26 to answer to the allegations. On April 27, Judge Paul Sullivan handed Malinowski a new five-year sentence to the state Department of Corrections. Sullivan gave him credit for 155 days of time served and credit for nine months Malinowski served on the suspended sentence.  

Malinowski was with Tanner Doyle White in Evergreen in January 2022 when White shot and killed 42-year-old Luke Simpson with a 9 mm handgun. White was arrested during a traffic stop later that month and told detectives that Simpson had taken his fiancé on a date prior to the shooting, according to court documents.  

White admitted following Simpson to Evergreen and shooting him, court documents said.  

Weeks later, Malinowski admitted accompanying White. Prosecutors subsequently accused him of driving Simpson's vehicle away from the scene of the shooting.  

Malinowski pleaded guilty to the felony tampering charge and admitted to a probation violation on a 2021 felony theft conviction after taking a deal in the summer of 2022. 

After completing a state drug treatment program, Malinowski was transferred to a pre-release center in Butte. He began serving his suspended sentence in November 2024.  

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.