Aitken spared prison

January 7, 2011

After spending 274 days in the Boundary County jail after pleading guilty to his fifth DUI, former Kootenai Tribal leader Gary A. Aitken Sr. was released on Thursday, spared up to four years in prison provided he gets treatment for alcohol abuse. He leaves Monday to begin inpatient treatment. Aitken appeared before Judge Steve Verby, requesting to be released so that he can enter treatment and he gave his apologies to the court, the state and the Kootenai Tribe. Verby sentenced him to a prison term of two to four years, but suspended that sentence and placed Aitken on five years' probation, suspended his drivers license for two years and levied a $1,000 fine and $285 court costs. As a term of probation, Aitken must successfully complete in-patient treatment