KALISPELL — A former Troy police officer, who is facing charges for child grooming and tampering with evidence, recently made his initial appearance in Lincoln County District Court.
Layton Artigo pleaded not guilty to one count of Grooming of a child for Sexual Offense and one count of Tampering with or Fabricating Physical Evidence.
Lincoln County prosecutors accuse the 23-year-old Artigo of knowingly engaging in a pattern of grooming behavior, including in-person or electronic communication using the Snapchat app, with the intent of manipulating minors into engaging in sexual conduct.
According to charging documents, detectives with the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office interviewed a minor who had been communicating with Artigo via Snapchat. The documents state the minor told Artigo she had just turned 17, but he continued sending sexually explicit messages.
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Artigo was fired by the Troy Police Department on November 12, 2025, and investigators then obtained a search warrant for his electronic devices.
When law enforcement arrived at Artigo’s apartment, they reported the residence smelled like burnt plastic and observed empty containers of bleach.
Detectives found a burned plastic pile in the oven containing parts of a computer.
Watch previous coverage: Former Troy police officer charged with grooming minors, tampering with evidence
After fleeing his residence, Artigo turned himself in to authorities in Southern California on November 14 and was extradited back to Montana.
Artigo’s pre-trial conference is set for March 23rd in Lincoln County District Court.
He is being held in the Flathead County Detention Center in Kalispell on a $1 million bond.
