A missed dental appointment led to a felony charge when a Cheyenne man was so upset about paying the $35 missed-appointment fee that he allegedly made terroristic threats against the clinic.
Daniel J. Rivera, 40, is scheduled for an Aug. 10 arraignment to face one count of making terroristic threats against the Westgate Dental Clinic in Cheyenne. The charge is punishable by up to three years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
The Appointment
The case dates back to about 1:05 p.m. June 8, when Rivera missed his 1 p.m. dental appointment, according to an evidentiary affidavit by Cheyenne Police Department Officer Larry Moniz.
An employe talked with Rivera on the phone about the missed appointment.
Angry, Rivera said he was “pissed off,” then yelled and cursed at the employee until he hung up the phone, the affidavit claims. Rivera then called back and refused to reschedule his appointment, then he yelled and cursed some more before the employee hung up on him.
Later that day Rivera posted on the Westgate Dental Facebook page, the affidavit says.
“I can be mean to whoever I want to be mean to,” Rivera allegedly wrote, along with:
“Wanna see a dead body.”
“you are alll gonna die”
“F*** westgate staff”
“I will bring a gun to my next visit5”
“I can be an asshole”
“I can post whatever man f*** you”
Rises To Terroristic Threats
Under Wyoming law, terroristic threats are speech causing a building or assembly place to evacuate, or that cause or recklessly risk serious public inconvenience.
Laramie County Deputy Attorney Bill Edelman in a charging document accused Rivera of fulfilling the elements of the law by threatening to commit first-degree murder.
The affidavit says Westgate Dental closed for business the day after the threats for the safety of employees.
Rivera admitted to sending the messages, the affidavit alleges, “but he was upset that Westgate Dental Clinic were charging him $35 for his missed appointment.”
Rivera’s case ascended to the felony-level Laramie County District Court on July 14 after he waived his preliminary hearing testing whether the state has probable cause to prosecute him as a potential felon.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
