Mullan shooter gets prison time

WALLACE — The legal saga of convicted Mullan shooter Kurt Allen Morozko has finally come to an end, as Judge Scott Wayman sentenced him to a 15-year prison sentence for his crimes on Friday.

A Shoshone County jury found Morozko guilty of three counts of unlawfully discharging a weapon at an occupied building and two counts of possession of a controlled substance on Dec. 13, 2018.

These charges stem from his arrest on Jan. 11, 2018, when he was taken into custody for firing a gun from his home into (and at) multiple other homes in the Mullan area over the course of several weeks. An illegal substance (identified in court records as a synthetic opioid) were located in his home after his arrest as well.

At the sentencing on Feb. 1 at the Shoshone County Courthouse, Shoshone County Prosecuting Attorney Keisha Oxendine argued for the maximum penalty of each charge to be imposed.

Each of Morozko’s unlawful discharge of a weapon charges carries a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. His two controlled substance charges each carry a maximum penalty of up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

“It is clear from Mr. Morozko’s complete lack of acceptance of accountability for his actions and his complete lack of remorse that a long period of incarceration with the Idaho Department of Corrections is the only sentence that can ensure this community is protected,” she stated to the court. “Mr. Morozko is not before this court admitting to any mental health issues. He is not before this court admitting to any substance abuse issues associated with his use of the synthetic opiate. Instead, he refuses to accept accountability despite overwhelming evidence proving his guilt. He approaches this court with anger and hostility and outright denial. His refusal to accept accountability indicates that rehabilitation is not the primary or even a secondary goal in this case.”

Judge Wayman agreed with the prosecution’s assessment of Morozko and ended up handing him 15 years in prison. This sentence consists of three, seven-year fixed/eight-year indeterminate sentences for each firearm charge and two, three-year fixed/four-year indeterminate sentences for each drug possession charge. All of these sentences will run concurrent, meaning that time served for one charge is time served for all charges.

Morozko will not be eligible for parole until he has served at least seven years.

After the sentencing, Oxendine was thankful to “the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office and other assisting agencies who participated in this investigation for their hard work and dedication to this case, which ultimately led to an arrest that ensures our community’s protection.”