Montana dog catcher caught smoking meth in county truck

ANACONDA, Mont. (AP) – A Montana dog catcher has pleaded not guilty to 16 criminal charges after being caught on hidden camera smoking methamphetamine while on duty.

The Montana Standard reports that police arrested 37-year-old Braden Blodnick of Anaconda January 23 on drug and paraphernalia charges. Police say Blodnick was also charged with tampering with evidence for trying to flush drugs down a holding cell toilet during booking.

Prosecutors also charged him with child endangerment for picking up his girlfriend’s 11-year-old child from school in a county-owned truck after smoking meth inside it and then taking the child to a home containing drug paraphernalia. He is also charged with stealing a lighter and tobacco grinder.

Police placed the hidden camera in Blodnick’s truck after receiving tips that the dog catcher was selling meth out of the country truck.