Aaron Ilg

A Powell man who attacked a female friend in Crandall last year — including reportedly strangling her with his arm — has been ordered to serve a year in jail for his actions.

The Park County Attorney’s Office originally charged 42-year-old Aaron Ilg with a felony count strangulation of a household member in connection with the June 2019 case. However, prosecutors agreed to lower the charge to a misdemeanor count of reckless endangerment in exchange for Ilg’s guilty plea and his agreement to serve the maximum 365-day sentence for the reduced offense.

In accepting the deal, District Court Judge Bill Simpson told Ilg that he was receiving a break from the justice system.

“As far as this court is concerned, this is the last go-round. You have got to stop this kind of behavior,” Simpson said, advising Ilg to stop drinking and to find a way to manage his anger.

“You may think that the last thing you need is a lecture, but I’m really just trying to tell you, sir, that you’re a relatively young individual, you have a life ahead of you,” Simpson said, “but you really have nothing ahead of you except prison unless you understand that this is your last opportunity.”

Charging documents in the case say the June 5, 2019, altercation began when Ilg drank and became angry that his female friend wouldn’t help him get his vehicle unstuck at the Pilot Creek area. When he returned to their motel room in Crandall, Ilg reportedly attacked the woman. She told the Park County Sheriff’s Office that Ilg punched her in the face and put his arm on her throat, making it hard for her to breathe, before she ran away to a nearby residence. Deputy Clayton Creel wrote in an affidavit that there were red marks on the woman’s neck and dark bruising around her left eye.

When deputies asked Ilg what happened, he reportedly said he didn’t know. However, after being taken to jail, Ilg reportedly offered that, “the strangulation thing is bulls—. She was hyperventilating a little because of the pressure I put on her.”

Prosecutors took the position that the woman was a household member — a necessary component of the strangulation of a household member charge — as she told authorities they were living together and they had been dating on and off for four years. However, Ilg testified in court last week that, although they had previously dated and were temporarily living together, they “were just friends.”

“The alleged victim in this matter was not a household member,” said Sarah Miles, Ilg’s defense attorney.

The distinction was irrelevant to the reduced charge of reckless endangerment, as Ilg had only to admit to engaging in conduct that placed the woman “in danger of serious bodily injury.”

The victim in the case was fine with the plea deal, Park County Victim/Witness Coordinator Darlene Reed said in court.

While the case was pending last year, Ilg was released on bail and completed a two-month treatment and mental health rehabilitation program at the Sheridan VA Medical Center. However, Ilg was re-arrested in October after he allegedly fought with a man and chased him with a knife outside the Best Choice Motel in Powell. Charges related to that incident were later dropped — police were unable to identify the man that Ilg reportedly fought with — but Ilg remained in jail.

When he was sentenced for the attack on the woman last week, Ilg had already been incarcerated for more than eight months, leaving 111 days to serve. Simpson also imposed a $1,000 fine — though he said he might be willing to modify that penalty later — plus $250 in court fees and assessments.

During the hearing, Simpson told Ilg that “if you’re angry at someone — be it a man, a woman, a child, a dog, whatever — you do not apply physical force, unless it’s for self defense.”

The judge also asked for Ilg’s word that he wouldn’t engage in this kind of behavior again — and asked Ilg why he should believe him.

“I’m going to be doing ongoing therapy with the VA trying to better myself and help with my PTSD and a few problems that I have like that, your honor,” Ilg said.

The Powell veteran served with the U.S. Army from 2002 to 2005, he said, including being deployed to Iraq between 2004 and 2005.

Simpson urged Ilg to stop drinking and to find another way to deal with his struggles, suggesting various avenues of help. The judge also said he would personally help Ilg if he needed assistance with the VA; Ilg said he appreciated that.

“I never want you to feel alone, OK? I mean that,” Simpson said, adding, “you’ve got a lot of potential, you should be proud of your service and what you’ve done and there’s no reason that this needs to continue. … Please, just do the right thing.”