BILLINGS - Billings Police Chief Rich St. John says the SWAT operation that happened last month at the home of a former Billings restaurant owner was necessary and done properly.
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The chief spoke at the Billings City Council work session on Monday night and said the risk factors included criminal history, presence of firearms, and narcotics.
Several units responded on Sept. 17 to the home on King Avenue East and to a home in Worden because of the uncertainty of the location of the suspects.
Officers seized 53 firearms, including 48 at the King Avenue home. Of those, 17 of were stolen.
He says allegations that the property was damaged and mistreatment of the resident are unfounded.
St. John says officers took care on conducting business, knowing one of the residents, Eva Sigsworth, who once owned Mamacita's restaurant, is 90 years old.
“The agencies involved, based on our review, acted within policy and procedure,” St. John said. “And if there was any property that was disturbed or disrupted, it was incidental and lawful. And I would say if there's going to be outrage about this entire incident, it should be with the grandson for bringing a criminal activity, criminal enterprise into the grandmother's residence."
St. John says the grandson, John Paul Schmieding, was detained on federal charges and is awaiting state charges to be filed this week or next week.
