Almont man sentenced to four years for threatening peace officer

Awaiting space in Montrose

[  By Katherine Nettles  ]

An Almont resident was sentenced to four years in a community corrections facility last month after pleading guilty to a class 3 felony for his actions in 2021. 

Brad Fortner, 53 years old, was arrested last summer near Almont after allegedly making threats to harm people driving by his house off of Highway 135 and pointing a firearm at a Gunnison County deputy who responded to the scene. Fortner was initially given 13 charges, including first-degree assault, violation of a protection order and prohibited use of a firearm. He pleaded guilty to the first count, assault in the first degree for threatening a peace officer with a weapon, which is a class 3 felony. The remaining 12 charges were subsequently dismissed. Fortner was sentenced on March 25 to community corrections for four years with 71 days credit for time served. 

Fortner was removed from the court by law enforcement and remanded to Gunnison County custody after his sentencing. According to Gunnison County undersheriff Adam Murdie, Fortner is being held in the Gunnison County jail until a bed becomes available in a nearby community corrections facility, most likely in Montrose. “Facilities are pretty full throughout the state right now,” said Murdie. 

The closest community corrections facilities are in Delta and Grand Junction.