Montana Senator Ellsworth's Misconduct Conviction Vacated Over Sealed Juror Exposure

A Lewis and Clark County judge vacated the guilty verdict against former Montana Senate President Jason Ellsworth on July 23, 2026, one day after jurors convicted him of official misconduct. Judge Christopher Abbott ruled that court staff had inadvertently provided jurors with sealed exhibits during deliberations—materials concerning potential witness Bryce Eggleston that were not admitted as evidence and legally irrelevant to the case.

Ellsworth was convicted on July 22 on a charge of misdemeanor official misconduct related to two contracts totaling $170,000 awarded to Agile Analytics in December 2024. Prosecutors alleged Ellsworth circumvented competitive bidding requirements by signing incomplete agreements first, then submitting them to state officials for legitimization. The contracts were to fund analysis of judicial reform bills by Agile Analytics, a company represented by Eggleston, Ellsworth's longtime friend and former employee. Jurors deliberated for four hours before reaching a unanimous guilty verdict.

The mistrial discovery emerged after the verdict when Ellsworth's legal team spoke with a juror who mentioned details not presented at trial. Eggleston had sent email communications to prosecutors about scheduling conflicts and testifying options in the weeks before trial. These scheduling emails, exchanged between Eggleston and Assistant Attorney General Dan Guzynski, were inadvertently included in exhibits provided to the jury room at the start of deliberations. Guzynski's email to Eggleston, suggesting Ellsworth's objection to remote testimony "seems strategic and smacks of gamesmanship," was never raised at trial because prosecutors ultimately chose not to call Eggleston as a witness.

Judge Abbott found that the sealed materials should not have been disclosed to jurors and vacated the conviction from the bench Wednesday afternoon. Both the prosecution and defense agreed a new trial was warranted. If retried, the case would begin December 14, 2026. Ellsworth, a Hamilton Republican, faces potential penalties of up to six months in jail and a $500 fine if convicted again. His Senate term expires at the end of 2026.