State prosecutors have charged a former Butte police officer with a felony for allegedly threatening an inmate who became unruly during booking at the Butte-Silver Bow Detention Center.

They say Jake Renouard was on duty at the jail on March 28, 2023, when he reared his fist back, threatened to hit the inmate and later said, “I’ll f****** kill you, you dumb (N-word).” The inmate was African American.

Prosecutors charged Renouard in early August with mistreatment of a prisoner, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and fine up to $50,000, and he was arraigned Thursday before District Judge Frank Joseph.

Renouard appeared with Robert Reiley, an attorney from Bozeman, and pleaded not guilty. He remains free under certain release conditions with the next hearing set for Sept. 25.

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