Man Sentenced to 300 Years in the Montana State Prison

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On November 3, 2023, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced that a Deer Lodge man has been sentenced to three consecutive 100-year sentences in the Montana State Prison following a jury found him guilty in May of three counts of sexual intercourse without consent with a minor.  

“51-year-old Charles Michael Byrne was sentenced Monday in Powell County District Court for having sex with a minor girl three separate times between 2010 and 2016,” Knudsen said. “The 300-year sentence was requested by the State and required by law due to the age of the victim.” 

According to Knudsen, Byrne was sentenced to serve 100 years in prison without parole eligibility for 50 years on each of the three counts, which will run consecutively.

“As a result, he will be ineligible for parole for 150 years,” Knudsen said. “Byrne was previously sentenced to three consecutive 100-year sentences in 2019 after a jury found him guilty of the same crime.” 

However, the Montana Supreme Court overturned that conviction necessitating a retrial. 

“After four years, justice has finally been served to Charles Byrne,” Knudsen said. “I’m proud of our DOJ prosecutors and the work they did alongside the Powell County Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to put this criminal behind bars. There is no place for child predators in Montana.” 

Montana Department of Justice Assistant Attorneys General Meghann Paddock and Patrick Moody prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Powell County Sheriff’s Office. 

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen spends an hour every month answering questions from Talk Back listeners.