Group wants felony charge to remain in threats case

A local advocacy group wants David Lenio to face a felony charge — not a reduced charge — in a case where he is accused of using social media to broadcast violence against Kalispell school children and Jewish community leaders.

Love Lives Here held a press conference Monday in front of the Flathead County Justice Center in coordination with Glacier Jewish Community-B’nai Shalom.

Lenio, 28, is charged with felony intimidation, and Ina Albert, one of the founders of Love Lives Here, said the group doesn’t want the felony charged reduced.

The press conference was supposed to be held after Lenio’s trial began at 9 a.m. Monday morning, but on Friday the trial was delayed until January.

Part of the reason for the delay is because of a possible plea bargain in the case.

“Our job is to keep up the conversation, to exert some common sense,” Albert said, “to make sure he doesn’t leave Montana and hurt someone.”

Albert said she hopes the movement will gain traction in the community as the group urges residents to put signs in their windows and yards.

“That’s as far as we’ve gotten so far,” she said.

The group wants Lenio to lose his access to firearms and undergo a state-mandated mental health treatment. Both those demands could be achieved with a felony conviction.

If convicted of felony intimidation, Lenio faces up to 10 years in prison for felony intimidation charges.