A Columbia Falls man, Bradley Mefford, faces a felony intimidation charge after allegedly threatening to use a 9 mm firearm against another man during a dispute over a car. The conflict arose when the victim’s old car, which his mother—who was dating Mefford—may have agreed to buy, went missing. The victim reported the car possibly stolen and sought its return, prompting Mefford to allegedly send a threatening text message. Police responded with a search warrant and deployed a SWAT team due to Mefford’s status as a convicted felon, though no firearm was found at his home.
Mefford has a criminal history including convictions in 2006 for drug possession with intent to distribute, criminal endangerment, and assault with a weapon. In 2020, he was also convicted of possession of child pornography, but that conviction was overturned by the Montana Supreme Court due to an unlawful warrantless phone search. The police’s cautious approach in this incident was influenced by Mefford’s past offenses, despite some community backlash over the SWAT team’s involvement.
