A Minot man charged with three Class A felony counts for possession of narcotics within 300 feet of a school has been sentenced to eight years in prison after entering a change of plea to guilty.

Bowe Bently Getzlaff, 46, Minot, initially entered his change of plea to the charges on Aug. 21, but withdrew the plea on Sept. 13. Getzlaff would ultimately enter another change of plea on Monday, pleading guilty to the three counts of felony drug possession with intent to distribute within 300 feet of a school. A fourth Class A felony count of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute within 300 feet of a school, and a Class C felony count of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia-second offense were dismissed.

According to court documents, the Ward County Narcotics Task Force executed a search warrant on Getzlaff’s residence in southeast Minot, which was 250 feet from a nearby school. The Task Force was investigating allegations that Getzlaff was selling narcotics out of the residence. Getzlaff attempted to flee the residence but was eventually apprehended and arrested after a foot chase. A search of the residence discovered baggies with various amounts of marijuana, heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and a variety of narcotics paraphernalia.

District Judge Todd Cresap sentenced Getzlaff to a concurrent sentence of 20 years with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, with 12 years suspended. Getzlaff was given credit for 372 days already served and ordered to complete three years of supervised probation upon release. Getzlaff was ordered to complete a chemical dependency evaluation and a victim impact panel and assessed $1,025 in court fines and fees.