From the Courts - State District Court: Man sentenced on charge reduced from criminal child endangerment

Bernard George Bell was sentenced in state District Court in Havre on a misdemeanor charge reduced in a plea agreement from a felony criminal child endangerment charge.

Bell was charged Jan. 4 after an officer investigated a vehicle parked crooked in a parking space and found Bell, who appeared drunk, in the car with the child.

In the plea agreement, the charge was reduced to driving under the influence, first offense.

Bell pleaded guilty July 6 and state District Judge Kaydee Snipes Ruiz sentenced him to one year in jail, all but 48 hours suspended and with credit for 31 days served, ordered him to pay a $1,200 fine, discharged through SCRAM alcohol monitoring device fees, ordered him to pay $75 in fees and surcharges and to complete a chemical dependency treatment course.