Courts

Former MT track coach sentenced on sex abuse charges

Posted: Jul 23, 2012 11:17 AM by Beth Saboe - MTN News
Updated: Jul 23, 2012 2:34 PM

BOZEMAN - A former track coach at Bozeman High School faces jail time and a lengthy probation for sexually abusing two teenage girls.

The case of James Evans, 30, was set to go to trial Monday, but instead he struck a plea deal with the state.

Evans pled guilty to two counts of sexually abusing children and one charge of tampering with evidence. Prosecutors accuse him of sending sexually explicit text messages and pictures to high school female athletes in 2010.

The State will ask that Evans be sentenced to 30 days in the county jail, following by five years in the Department of Corrections and then 15 years of probation under the plea deal. He must also register as a sexual offender.

Evans will be sentenced on September 12 at 9:00 a.m. Gallatin County District Court Judge Mike Salvagni does not have to follow the prosecutor's recommendations and can impose a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Before pleading guilty, Evans had previously filed motions to get the case dropped, but the judge rejected the request.