Joseph Borgstrom initially admitted to allegations of sexual assault on a 12 year old child before pleading not guilty. He is currently being held on a $100,000 bond. (courtesy photo)
The Lockwood community was shocked earlier this week with news that Joe Borgstrom, 61, has been charged with felony rape and sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl.
Borgstrom has been an active member of the community including serving seven years on the Lockwood School Board. He is also the proprietor of Automotive Shop Management and Technology Solutions, LLC in Billings Heights.
Borgstrom was booked into the Yellowstone County Detention Facility on Friday and arraigned on Tuesday, when he pled not guilty to one count of sexual intercourse without consent and one count of sexual assault. Yellowstone County District Judge Jessica Fehr set bail at $100,000.
Borgstrom called Lockwood Superintendent Tobin Novasio to resign his position, even though he was technically no longer a board member, having been defeated in the previous week’s election. Novasio stated that as a school board member Borgstrom made decisions about policy and staffing, but had no access to children in the school.
At the Lockwood School Board’s meeting on Tuesday, Chairman of the Board Tim Sather issued a statement saying, “We are committed to the safety of students.” And he added that he would “encourage people to allow law enforcement to conduct its investigation without hindrance.”
The Lockwood Optimist Club of which Borgstrom had been a member and previous president, sent out a notice on Monday announcing that Borgstom was no longer a member, further stating, “We have no tolerance for and condemn the kind of behavior that is alleged.”
