COEUR d’ALENE — Security company owner Paul Trouette won’t spend any time in jail for battering two people who spoke out when a woman was dragged from a chaotic legislative town hall at Coeur d’Alene High School last year if he completes community service hours.

A Kootenai County jury convicted Trouette in December of battery against Gregg Johnson and Sarah Forsgren, as well as security agent uniform and duties violations, all misdemeanors. 

Jurors acquitted Trouette of two counts of battery against Teresa Borrenpohl and Ben Stallings. They also found him not guilty of false imprisonment arising from his detention of Borrenpohl and Johnson. 

First District Judge Mayli Walsh sentenced Trouette on Friday to 180 days in jail for the battery charges, then suspended the remainder of the sentence, leaving him only 10 days to serve. She ordered Trouette to complete 200 hours of community service within a year or serve the jail time. 

For the security agent violations, Walsh sentenced Trouette to 10 days in jail and ordered him to complete 40 hours on the Sheriff’s Labor Program by July 9 or serve the jail time. Trouette must also pay $3,000 in fines. 

“This just went too far,” Walsh told Trouette before handing down the sentence. 

By completing hundreds of community service hours, Walsh said Trouette can give back to the community “in a real way” and earn back the trust that he damaged through his actions. 

“People should have the expectation that they can be in a public place and not be aggressed,” she said.

Before receiving his sentence, Trouette said he believed he was acting lawfully under the sheriff’s direction when he battered Johnson and Forsgren. 

“I clearly acted on good faith that day and I have no ill will toward Mr. Johnson,” he said, before turning to look at Johnson, who sat in the gallery. “I apologize for what happened to you that day.” 

The charges stem from Feb. 22, 2025, when hundreds gathered in the CHS auditorium for a legislative town hall organized by the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee. 

Video recordings showed Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris approach Borrenpohl after she spoke out of turn and tell her to leave the event. When she refused, he took hold of her arm and tried to pull her from her seat, then threatened to pepper-spray her. Then he directed plainclothes security personnel to remove her. 

Johnson rose from his seat near Borrenpohl and stepped aside at Norris’ direction. He watched as the security guards, Trouette’s employees, hauled Borrenpohl from her seat and wrestled her to the ground. One sat on top of her, while another knelt on her back. With Trouette’s help, the men dragged Borrenpohl out of the auditorium. 

“The glee that some people in the crowd seemed to have for the violence was disturbing,” Johnson said in court Friday. “I didn’t think it was right.” 

Johnson said he felt compelled to speak up about “the abuse of authority and mistreatment of a woman” happening in front of him. 

“Hey, leave her alone,” Johnson said. 

Norris later testified that those words “encouraged” Borrenpohl to “keep resisting,” so he grabbed Johnson and threatened to arrest him. He marched Johnson out of the auditorium, joined by Trouette. They pushed Johnson against a wall, kicked his legs to force them open and restrained his hands behind his back. 

“I was targeted and singled out for my speech, for simply voicing objection to what my eyes were witnessing right in front of me,” he said. 

Johnson said the rough treatment aggravated his bad knee, causing further injury. He said Trouette’s actions caused more than physical damage. 

“The effects are all over the community, where people feel unsafe to speak up when witnessing wrongdoing,” he said. “We cannot be afraid to voice our concern for our neighbors’ safety or rights. Injustice thrives in silence.” 

Forsgren testified that she was leaving the town hall when she saw Trouette and two other men drag Borrenpohl into the hall. She said she told the men to get their hands off Borrenpohl. 

“All she did was speak up,” said Ryan Hunter, chief deputy prosecutor for the city of Coeur d’Alene. “That’s all it took for the defendant to turn his attention to her and physically attack her.” 

Video footage showed Trouette push Forsgren into a wall. The two struggled briefly as Trouette appeared to try to turn Forsgren around to restrain her hands. 

“She described pretty terrifying circumstances, being grabbed and shoved,” Walsh said. 

Hunter said Trouette violated the rights of two community members who spoke out against injustice, “betraying the faith that his fellow man” put in him and his employees that they wouldn’t be punished for dissenting views. 

“In the United States, we talk a lot about freedom of speech,” Hunter told the court. “We talk a lot about allowing dissent. It’s one of the things that makes our nation great. But we failed in this instance. The defendant failed in this instance.” 

Johnson said speaking out against Borrenpohl’s treatment at the town hall has caused him to lose business and face harassment. But he doesn’t regret standing up for another person. 

“I’ve replayed that event many times over in my mind, questioning whether I should’ve stayed silent, whether it was worth the price,” he said. “Ultimately, it was definitely worth it.”