Arlee man sentenced for assaulting child

An Arlee man was sentenced in Polson District Court Jan. 29 to the Montana State Prison for 20 years, with 15 years suspended, for assaulting a child. Glenn Elliott Fortner, 64, pleaded guilty to the assault charge as part of a plea agreement reached during an earlier court appearance. The agreement dismisses another charge of the same.

According to court records on Oct. 29, 2022, a woman called law enforcement to report she had witnessed Fortner assault the child Oct. 28, 2022. When interviewed by investigators, the child, born in 2011, indicated that Fortner had assaulted her on another occasion as well.

Judge John Larson of Missoula presided over the case.