A California man pleaded guilty to a single count of blackmail in U.S. District Court in Missoula on May 7, four days before he was set to stand trial on a host of additional criminal charges alleging a years-long extortion and harassment campaign targeting wealthy Whitefish philanthropist Michael Goguen and his family.
The defendant, Bryan Gregg Waterfield Nash, entered his plea as part of an agreement with federal prosecutors, who will in turn dismiss multiple charges of interstate stalking and interstate communication with the intent to extort, while recommending a five-year probationary sentence. Nash remains released on supervision pending a sentencing hearing set for Aug. 7.