A member of Montana’s Public Service Commission was arrested for a second time in two months Friday.
The Cascade County sheriff’s department arrested commissioner Randy Pinocci on two felony charges of witness tampering.
Sheriff Jesse Slaughter laid out the charges during a press conference Friday. He said Pinocci’s arrest “isn’t a pleasant situation for anybody in our community.”
“Obviously, he’ll have his day in court,” Slaughter said. “These are allegations and he’ll have a right to defend himself in this matter. But, we just want to keep it consistent and uphold the law and the Constitution.”
Pinocci was first arrested in early September for failing to appear in court. Slaughter said Pinocci got into an altercation with one of his tenants over a security deposit in July. Both men were charged with disorderly conduct.
Friday’s arrest for witness tampering came after Pinocci allegedly sent a text message to a witness of the argument, asking that they recant their testimony in order to restore their working relationship.
Pinocci is a former Republican state lawmaker and currently serves on the Public Service Commission, which regulates monopoly utilities in Montana. Pinocci has represented a district that includes parts of Great Falls, Billings and most of eastern Montana since 2018.
