MISSOULA - A federal bench trial starts Wednesday for the former boyfriend of a missing Missoula woman.
Prosecutors charged Michael DeFrancewith crimes relating to owning firearms when he was not legally allowed to, based on a previous conviction of Partner/Family Member Assault.
He was convicted in 2013 of assaulting his then-girlfriend, Jermain Charlo.
Charlo has been missing for nearly five years although these charges do not relate to her disappearance. DeFrance also faced charges for lying about his status when purchasing firearms from a Missoula pawn store.
Witnesses who will testify include Missoula Police Detective Guy Baker, the lead investigator in this case, several of Charlo's relatives, and the defendant's parents.
The trial before Judge Dana Christensen is expected to take three days.
