dpHELENA — After a six-day trial, a jury in Helena has returned a verdict of guilty in the trial of former Montana Senate President Sen. Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, on a charge of official misconduct.
The prosecution and defense in Ellsworth’s trial called their final witnesses on Monday. On Tuesday afternoon, they made their closing arguments, and the jury began deliberations around 3:45 p.m. They returned their verdict just after 8 p.m.
State District Judge Chris Abbott set a sentencing hearing for Sept. 10. Ellsworth could face up to six months in jail and up to a $500 fine.
(Watch the video to see more from the announcement of the verdict.)
Montana state Sen. Jason Ellsworth found guilty in official misconduct trial
Ellsworth’s attorneys declined to comment to MTN after the verdict. Prosecuting attorneys from the Montana Department of Justice also declined to comment in the courtroom, but Attorney General Austin Knudsen released a statement.
“Our Department of Justice prosecutors and investigators did a great job securing today’s conviction,” Knudsen said. “Sincere thanks to the jury for their time and service. Montana DOJ takes any public corruption seriously. We are glad to see the rule of law prevail.”
The charge stems from Ellsworth’s handling of state contracts while serving as president. In December 2024, he signed off on a pair of contracts, together worth $170,000, with Agile Analytics – a company linked to Bryce Eggleston, a friend and former business associate. Ellsworth tapped the company to track and analyze a series of judicial reform bills during the 2025 legislative session.
On Monday afternoon, Ellsworth himself took the stand for more than three hours, to defend his actions.
“What was your understanding of your authority for a president to approve a service contract like that?” defense attorney Martin Judnich asked Ellsworth.
“Complete authority,” he replied.
Ellsworth acknowledged Eggleston was a friend and had worked for him in multiple different businesses. He said Eggleston approached him and said he was interested in doing the bill analysis, so he told Eggleston to submit a proposal. He said he was convinced Agile Analytics could do the work and that he trusted Eggleston’s ability.
Prosecutors argued Ellsworth had tried to avoid scrutiny of the proposed deal. In particular, they pointed to the fact that the original documents he submitted called for the money to be paid upfront and split the work into two smaller contracts – below $100,000, a threshold above which state contracts usually require additional review from the Montana Department of Administration.
Ellsworth testified that he didn’t have anything to do with the writing of the proposed contracts and that he hadn’t wanted them split or for the money to be paid immediately. He said he had believed the money that would have been used for that contract had to be spent before the end of 2024, but later learned it only needed to be allocated.
Ellsworth said he never considered the documents he initially submitted to be formal contracts, just proposals.
“That’s not how they were treated,” he said.
In closing arguments, Judnich said Ellsworth didn’t have any intention of evading procurement laws, and that these contracts fell under recognized exemptions for the standard bid process. He argued Ellsworth submitted the documents to state staff for review, and if they were improper, the staff could have stopped them. Judnich said Ellsworth relied on their judgment.
“He said yes to every suggestion, every issue for cooperation – everything he was asked to do, he said yes,” said Judnich. “He didn’t say no to a single thing.”
Prosecutors said Ellsworth did have an understanding for what’s required in state contracting. They argued what was at issue is not the final contract drawn up after state staff gave their input, but the initial documents Ellsworth submitted after talking with Eggleston.
“That’s what the defense wants you to believe, that they were proposals – even though the documents don’t say proposals,” said state prosecutor Dan Guzynski. “And if they’re proposals, why is he hiding the fact that they’re proposals?”
The jury’s verdict will have no effect on the disciplinary actions the Senate already took against Ellsworth last year, including banning him from the Senate floor for life and stripping his committee assignments.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated with reaction from the Montana Department of Justice and with Ellsworth’s attorneys declining comment.
