Police detail June SWAT action

A Columbia Falls man faces a charge of felony intimidation after an incident on June 12 over an apparent dispute about a car.

According to Columbia Falls Police Chief Chad Stephens, Bradley Mefford allegedly threatened to use a 9 mm against another Columbia Falls man in a dispute about a vehicle. The victim apparently had an old car that his mother may or may not have agreed to buy. 

The mother of the victim was dating Mefford and when the car ended up missing, the victim reported it may have been stolen and wanted it back.

That’s when Mefford allegedly made the threat toward the victim via a text message, Stephens explained. Police responded to the call, obtained a search warrant and rather than send a couple of police into a home to search for a firearm and possibly put them in harm’s way, the SWAT team was called in, as Mefford is a convicted felon, Stephens noted.

No firearm was found at the 208 1st Ave EN home, but some residents were upset that people had to leave the house, and  made angry posts on social media.

But according to court records, police had reason to use caution with Mefford. In 2006, he was convicted in Flathead County for criminal possession of drugs with intent to distribute, criminal endangerment and assault with a weapon.

He was also convicted in 2020 of possession of child pornography in a case stemming back to 2016, though that case was later overturned by the Montana Supreme Court, as the court ruled that a warrantless search of his phone by law enforcement violated Mefford’s rights, even though he was on probation at the time.