Hobbs to go back to Idaho jail, then Montana
By Michelle Lovato
Leader reporter
reporter@leaderadvertiser.com
POLSON -- Dennis J. Hobbs stood in front of District Court Judge James A. Manley for the last time Sept. 17. Maybe.
Manley sentenced Hobbs, 57 of Polson, to 50 years in prison for raping his ex-girlfriend, thanks to a plea agreement Hobbs accepted months ago that overlooks several other felonies for which he was charged earlier, but won’t serve time for.
Before Hobbs begins serving his Montana jail time, he will serve 9 years in Idaho on a sexual assault conviction he earned several years ago, according to the Idaho Corrections system.
Hobbs was released on parole from the Idaho Department of Corrections and transferred to Polson Montana through a prison-system interstate agreement that relocates probationary convicts near family when paroled, according to the Idaho Department of Corrections.
Hobbs committed the Lake County rape of his ex-girlfriend Aug. 13, 2013 while she was at work house cleaning near Polson. He further complicated his situation after attempting to have his victim murdered, court records said.
Hobbs, who accepted a plea agreement a few months ago, made a bizarre attempt to withdraw his guilty plea and fire his attorney when he wrote a personal letter to Manley in August, then refused to complete his psycho-sexual evaluation twice, something that is required to be complete before Manley can sentence Hobbs.
When Hobbs appeared in court on Aug. 28, he told Manley he’d changed his mind again, that he did not want to fire his attorney and would accept what he got.
Manley told Hobbs that he cannot write a letter to the court asking to fire his attorney and withdraw his plea; then come to court without taking his sexual evaluation and tell the court he changed his mind about withdrawing his plea.
Manley asked Hobbs if he was admitting that he’d lied under oath when he accepted his plea, and Hobbs stood silent for a few pregnant moments until his attorney stepped in.
“I’ll stick with what I’ve already said,” Hobbs said after sighing.
Manley continued Hobbs case, and after the Aug. 28 hearing, Hobbs completed his evaluation.
Hobbs pled guilty to two counts of sexual intercourse without consent, stalking and tampering with witnesses, according to court documents.
Under the plea agreement, Lake County prosecutors agreed to dismiss charges of solicitation of deliberate homicide and assault with a weapon.
Prosecution and defense attorneys agreed to recommend Hobbs be sentenced to 50 years in prison, with no time suspended, on each rape charge; five years for stalking and 10 years for tampering with witnesses. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Manley ordered a pre-sentencing investigation and psycho-sexual evaluation before an Aug. 27 sentencing hearing.
Hobbs was charged last year with two counts of sexual intercourse without consent and assault with a weapon after his ex-girlfriend reported Hobbs had raped her.
Prosecutors alleged that after Hobbs’ father posted his $100,000 bond in the August 2013 alleged rape case, Hobbs drove by his ex-girlfriend’s residence and her place of work, sent her flowers, made hang-up phone calls and several times asked the nephew of the then-Ronan police chief if he could find someone to kill her.
The chief’s nephew, Wayne Kibler, said Hobbs told him that payment for the killing would be a detailed map of an isolated residence filled with guns, coins and other expensive items that the killer would be able to steal, charging documents said.
Hobbs has an extensive criminal record, mostly in Idaho, that includes burglary, grand theft, aggravated assault, kidnapping and domestic battery, court records said.
The plea agreement acknowledges that Hobbs may first have to go to Idaho to serve any sentence imposed upon him because his parole was revoked.
Hobbs must complete two phases of the state sexual offender treatment program in prison before he is eligible for parole. If he is ever released from prison, Hobbs is to have “absolutely no contact” with the victim, the agreement states.