Canyon man cycles in and out of prison

A former Hungry Horse man with a history of cycling in and out of prison and problems with drug use is facing revocation for the second time.

Ryan Lee Moskaloff, 37, of Kalispell, has a long history of trouble with the law. He was charged with felony theft in 1997, felony bailjumping in 1999, felony bailjumping again in 2000, felony meth production and probation violation in 2000, felony possession of dangerous drugs in 2000 and failure to register as a violent or sexual offender in 2014.

His most serious charge came on June 16, 2000, when agents from the Northwest Drug Task Force who were “working” the Hungry Horse area located a meth lab on Canyon Drive by smelling it. They also learned that people connected to the suspected lab had purchased iodine and xylene, precursors in meth production.

After Moskaloff and another man were arrested on outstanding warrants, task force agents obtained a search warrant and raided the Canyon Drive residence. They seized the lab equipment and arrested two more men. One of the men had a 10-year-old son in the residence at the time. All four men allegedly admitted to cooking meth about that time.

Moskaloff’s attorney filed a motion to suppress evidence obtained under the search warrant, but Moskaloff pleaded guilty about 10 months later following a plea agreement.

Flathead County District Court Judge Ted Lympus sentenced Moskaloff in June 2001 to five years with the Department of Corrections all suspended for bailjumping and 10 years with two suspended for the meth lab  charge.

According to court documents, Moskaloff was paroled out of prison in January 2004, violated parole and was sent back five months later, was paroled again in April 2006, was declared a parole absconder and sent back eight months later, was released from a pre-release center in Billings in June 2008, and failed a breathalyzer test shortly afterwards.

He tested positive for meth in August 2008 after he ran into several Flathead County sheriff’s deputies who were looking for other individuals in the Canyon. The deputies claimed Moskaloff was holding a knife when they encountered him, and that he was reluctant to drop it.

Flathead County District Court Judge Katherine Curtis revoked Moskaloff’s sentence in December 2008, and Judge Stewart Stadler re-sentenced him four months later. Moskaloff was sent back to prison in April 2009 and then spent time in various pre-release and treatment facilities before being paroled to Kalispell in July 2011.

Moskaloff violated parole two months later, was sent back to prison and was paroled again in December 2012. But according to a March 2014 probation report, Moskaloff failed to report to probation officers and failed to register his place of residence.

Due to his long history of “drug use and illegal activity,” the probation office said he was “unsuitable for community supervision” and recommended his sentence in the meth lab case be revoked again.

On April 17, Moskaloff pleaded not guilty in Flathead County District Court to a charge of failing to register and denied the 2009 drug possession charge. A revocation hearing is scheduled for Aug. 14.

Despite his previous charges of bailjumping, failing to report and failing to register, Moskaloff has been able to post bond and get out of jail. He posted a $50,000 property bond on April 16.