Jason Ellsworth guilty over Montana contracts misconduct
Montana state Sen. Jason Ellsworth was found guilty of official misconduct after a Lewis and Clark County jury linked him to improper jason ellsworth montana contracts worth about $170,000 steered toward a friend's firm. Sentencing is set for Sept. 10, with possible jail time and a fine.
Key Takeaways
- A Helena jury convicted former Senate President Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, of official misconduct after a six-day trial.
- The case centered on December 2024 jason ellsworth montana contracts with Agile Analytics, tied to friend Bryce Eggleston.
- Prosecutors said he split work into two deals under $100,000 to dodge extra state review; the contract was later cancelled and unpaid.
- Judge Chris Abbott set sentencing for Sept. 10; Ellsworth faces up to six months in jail and a $500 fine.
- The Montana Senate had already banned him from the floor for life and stripped his committee assignments.
According to KTVH, jurors returned the unanimous guilty verdict just after 8 p.m. Tuesday, following closings and deliberations that began around 3:45 p.m. Ellsworth and his attorneys declined comment, as did courtroom prosecutors.
Attorney General Austin Knudsen praised the Montana Department of Justice team, saying the office takes public corruption seriously and was glad to see the rule of law prevail. For more courtroom and accountability coverage, see BlasterPost's True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries hub.
What did the jason ellsworth montana contracts involve?
While serving as Senate president, Ellsworth signed off in December 2024 on a pair of contracts totaling $170,000 with Agile Analytics. The firm is linked to Bryce Eggleston, described as a friend and former business associate.
The work was to track and analyze judicial reform bills ahead of and during the 2025 legislative session, including bills from the Senate Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform. Prosecutors argued Ellsworth used his office to steer more than $100,000 of that work to a close associate.
The Daily Montanan reported the eventual contract was cancelled when the Legislature began investigating, and no money was paid.
Why did prosecutors say the deals broke the rules?
State attorneys argued Ellsworth tried to avoid scrutiny. Original documents called for upfront payment and split the work into two smaller contracts below the $100,000 threshold that usually triggers added review by the Montana Department of Administration.
In closings, Assistant Attorney General Stephanie Robles said public office is a public trust, not a personal favor, and that procurement laws protect everyone equally. Prosecutor Dan Guzynski said the core issue was the initial documents Ellsworth submitted after talking with Eggleston, not the later staff-revised paperwork.
How did Ellsworth defend the Montana contracts?
Ellsworth testified for more than three hours. He said a Senate president had "complete authority" to approve such service contracts, that Eggleston approached him about bill analysis, and that he trusted Eggleston's ability.
He told jurors he did not write the proposed contracts, did not want them split or paid immediately, and never considered the first submissions formal contracts—only proposals. Defense attorney Martin Judnich argued Ellsworth did not intend to evade procurement laws, relied on state staff review, and cooperated with every suggested fix.
Judnich also framed the project as serious judicial-reform work, not a kickback. The defense noted the two agreements were later merged into one document approved by procurement officials before the deal was cancelled.
What happens next after the guilty verdict?
Official misconduct is a misdemeanor. Ellsworth could face up to six months in jail and up to a $500 fine at the Sept. 10 sentencing hearing before State District Judge Chris Abbott.
The criminal verdict does not change disciplinary steps the Senate already took last year, including a lifetime ban from the Senate floor and loss of committee assignments. Knudsen's office framed the conviction as accountability for alleged abuse of contracting power while Ellsworth held leadership authority.