Ellsworth Found Guilty of Official Misconduct in Criminal Trial
Jurors said he bypassed procurement rules to steer more than $100,000 in public work to a close associate, but no contract money was paid.
- On Tuesday evening, a Lewis and Clark County jury found state Sen. Jason Ellsworth, a Hamilton Republican, guilty of official misconduct for awarding $170,000 in no-bid contracts to a company represented by his 20-year friend Bryce Eggleston.
- Ellsworth spearheaded a judicial reform committee that wrote more than two dozen bills, and with $500,000 allocated for that work, faced pressure to spend the funds before year-end when they would revert to the governor's office.
- Prosecutors demonstrated that Ellsworth divided the work into two contracts to avoid a $100,000 bidding threshold, signed incomplete agreements first, and failed to disclose his relationship with Eggleston to state staff tasked with legitimizing the deals.
- Assistant Montana Attorney General Stephanie Robles told jurors that "public office is a public trust, not a personal favor," while Ellsworth left the courthouse without commenting after the verdict.
- Judge Abbott rejected three defense dismissal motions on Monday, laying groundwork for a state Supreme Court appeal, as Ellsworth faces up to six months in jail or a $500 fine and prior Senate sanctions imposed in April 2025.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Montana Free Press
Jury finds Ellsworth guilty of official misconduct
A Helena jury found former state Senate President Jason Ellsworth guilty of misdemeanor criminal official misconduct for awarding $170,000 in no-bid contracts to a company represented by a long-time business associate. Jury deliberations took nearly four hours and left Ellsworth, a Hamilton Republican, potentially facing a six-month jail sentence. Ellsworth exited the courthouse shortly after the verdict was read. Lewis and Clark County District…
Ellsworth found guilty of official misconduct in criminal trial
HELENA — Former Montana Senate president Jason Ellsworth was found guilty of official misconduct – a misdemeanor – on Tuesday evening in Lewis and Clark District Court in Helena. He could face a $500 fine or as many as six…
Montana Standard
Jury convicts Montana state Sen. Jason Ellsworth of official misconduct in corruption trial
A jury found state Sen. Jason Ellsworth guilty of official misconduct tied to allegations that he improperly circumvented the public bidding process to secure a state-funded contract for a friend.
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