MISSOULA — A Stevensville man was sentenced to three years in state custody this week after he was convicted of felony intimidation for threatening a Missoula naturopathic doctor and her clinic.
The Montana Free Press reports Missoula District Court Judge Judge Leslie Halligan Monday committed Daniel Kovats to the Department of Corrections for 10 years with seven of those years suspended.
The judge gave him credit for 315 days of time served in the county jail. Kovats was convicted of felony intimidation, which carries a maximum 10-year penalty, in early December. Halligan did not sentence Kovats to the Montana State Prison, but the department may send him there, she said.
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Halligan said she attempted to balance community safety with considerations for Kovats’ mental health and the lack of resources in the criminal justice system to address his complex needs, which include hearing loss, an autism spectrum diagnosis and substance abuse.
The sentence allows the Department of Corrections to determine the most appropriate placement for Kovats in its range of programs, she said.
In July 2023, Kovats emailed his former doctor, Christine White Deeble, threatening to kill her and everyone at her clinic, Natura Health and Wellness in Missoula.
Several hours later, he sent another email saying he would not carry out the threats. White Deeble read the emails the day after they were sent and called 911.
Ahead of the trial, Kovats was released on several conditions, including that he live with his brother near Stevensville and not contact White Deeble or her clinic. He never broke the conditions, but White Deeble said she spent months worrying he would come back to the clinic.
On Monday, White Deeble, her husband and former Natura employee Nancy Dunne Byington read lengthy statements detailing how the threat has affected their lives and the clinic.
They raised concerns about Kovats’ immediate return home if his sentence was fully suspended and asked the judge to include some incarceration.
“It’s time for Daniel to be the one who bears the burden of his actions,” White Deeble said. “A few months in jail and at home are not appropriate consequences. His mental health is important to consider, but it doesn’t supersede our mental health.”
Dunne Byington, a retired naturopathic doctor, said there should be enough consequences to dissuade others from making similar threats.
Kovats’ brother, family friends and several behavioral health care providers who worked with Kovats testified about his apparent improvement in the months he was released and requested he return home under supervision to continue treatment. As part of the conditions of his earlier release, Kovats was required to attend therapy and take prescribed medications.
William Stratford, a psychiatrist who first evaluated Kovats in 2023, said he seems to be doing better recently. Stratford said Kovats would not do well in prison.
“I don’t think there’s any chance he would come out better, and every probability he’d come out worse,” Stratford said.
Stephen Ferguson, a licensed clinical social worker, said the correctional system has limited services for those with severe mental health problems or autism, and remaining in the community where he can access wrap-around care would better serve Kovats.
Ferguson said he had known the Kovats family since childhood and noticed an improvement in Daniel during a recent visit. While he understands that the cultural zeitgeist around guns is impacting the victims, Kovats took no action beyond sending the email, Ferguson said.
“Are we sentencing [Daniel] because of what he did or under the cultural guise of gun violence?” he said.
Nandor Kovats said his brother has dealt with struggles his whole life, including hearing loss, problems socializing and the recent deaths of their parents. The impact of the threatening email should not be taken lightly, he said.
“I believe this has been a life-changing event for him,” Kovats said. “I’m sorry it’s at the expense of so many’s peace of mind.”
Kovats said his brother needs therapy, not prison, to allow him to make progress in his life.
Daniel Kovats did not make a statement on Monday but referred the judge to a letter he wrote her after the conviction.
Halligan waived several court fees but approved the $20,000 in restitution White Deeble requested for loss of income, medical and security costs.
Kovats will likely remain in the Missoula County jail for screening and potentially go to the Montana State Hospital for further assessment and treatment, Halligan said.
“It’s up to the Department of Corrections and your behaviors to guide your future steps,” she told Kovats. “I hope in the future you understand the magnitude of what’s occurred and take steps to be healthier.”
After the sentencing, White Deeble said she felt the judge heard and recognized the impact on the victims. A sense of relief is still sinking in, she said.
“This has been an exercise in vigilance with the only reprieve we’ve gotten when he’s been in jail,” she said. “So it’s nice to have a finality on things and guardrails.”
