GREAT FALLS — Reese Russell Riggin was booked into the Spokane County Jail on June 25 after a Cascade County judge issued a warrant tied to allegations that he violated the terms of his suspended sentence, according to Spokane County custody records and Cascade County court documents.
(WATCH: Riggin booked in Spokane after new allegations involving children)
Court documents show prosecutors filed a petition on June 23 to revoke Riggin’s suspended sentence. District Court Judge David Grubich signed an order on June 24 directing that an arrest warrant be issued. The warrant set the bond at $150,000.
The petition is based on a report of violation from Tim Hides, Riggin’s probation officer. According to the report, Great Falls police sent a warrant request to the Cascade County Attorney’s Office after receiving reports related to Riggin working at a climbing wall at Meadowlark school, on June 2nd, 2026.
Hides wrote in his report that Riggin was helping remove safety harnesses when several complaints were made that he had touched children inappropriately.
According to the same report, one child said Riggin moved his hand up her side, making her feel unsafe. A second child reported that he brushed his hand from her hip to her sports bra, making her feel uncomfortable and scared.
Hides later wrote that the allegations violated a probation condition requiring Riggin to comply with all laws and conduct himself as a good citizen.
“The circumstances of this violation are of concern,” Hides wrote in the report.
If released, Riggin would be required to follow several conditions, including GPS monitoring, no contact with any alleged victim or potential witness, no association with any child under 18 and staying away from all Great Falls Public Schools property.
Riggin was convicted in 2016 of felony sexual intercourse without consent and sentenced to a 20-year commitment to the Montana Department of Corrections, with 15 years suspended.
Court documents state Riggin began the suspended portion of his sentence in August 2021. The probation officer wrote that Riggin is a Tier II sexual offender, in Montana, and has two prior convictions for sexual offenses.
If the court finds Riggin violated the terms of his suspended sentence, Hides recommends Riggin be placed at Montana State Prison and that previous recommended conditions related to contact with children be imposed.
Great Falls Public Schools sent this letter to parents regarding the new accusations against Reese Riggin.
Dear Meadowlark Families,
Great Falls Public Schools is deeply troubled and saddened by the recent events involving Reese Riggin. Our hearts are with the students and families affected. We understand and share the concern and distress this situation has caused throughout our community.
Unfortunately, the Judge's terms of Mr. Riggin's release in 2016 did not prohibit him from being present on school grounds or around children while participating in activities associated with his family's business. Concerns regarding Mr.
Riggin had reportedly been brought to members of the previous administration. But there is no condition in his release that prohibits him from being present at school, especially one his children attend. Our current building administrator was not aware of his identity, of those concerns, nor of his prior convictions before she received the reports of this incident.
For years, Flippin' Family Fun has provided the rock wall used during the sixth-grade celebration. This year's parent committee arranged again for the equipment only, and those involved were unaware that Mr. Riggin would remain on site after the equipment was delivered.
At no time during the event was the administration made aware of his identity. Even so, based on the information available at that time, the conditions of his release would not have prohibited his presence at the event.
When students reported concerning behavior, school administration immediately notified law
enforcement and the Department of Family Services. We appreciate the work done by law enforcement and the prompt action taken by the County Attorney. We will continue to work with law enforcement.
In response to this incident, the district is conducting a thorough review of volunteer, vendor, and special event procedures. District-wide protocols will be strengthened, and a repository of people who should not be allowed access to our schools has been created and will be maintained. Our community can expect to see increased vigilance and a reduction in the scale and type of events held during the school day across all our schools, together with a system-wide vetting of any vendors involved.
Additionally, and it goes without saying, GFPS will also no longer use this company as a vendor.
The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority.
We are exceptionally saddened for the families involved and unequivocally condemn any behavior that compromises the safety or trust of the children entrusted to our care. We ask for understanding of the privacy of the families who were directly affected.
We remain committed to learning from this situation and implementing robust processes to prevent anything similar from occurring in the future. Sincerely,
Jackie Mainwaring
Executive Director
Great Falls Public Schools
Editor's note: This story has been updated with a letter to parents from Great Falls Public Schools.
