GILLETTE — A 16-year-old boy has been charged as an adult with felony possession of a deadly weapon after allegedly sneaking into Campbell County High School, flashing a handgun, then running from police.
The teen, who was scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Thursday, also has been charged with two misdemeanors, criminal trespass and interference with a police officer. The hearing was postponed.
If convicted, Dominick Argue could face up to six and a half years in prison, fines of up to $2,750, or both.
The incident dates back to Feb. 23 when Argue allegedly snuck into the high school with two other male juveniles without permission, according to an affidavit of probable cause. He reportedly arrived first by himself and was let into the school by an unknown student.
He then met the two other teens, who had driven to the school separately with no vehicle registration or insurance, into the school.
Lockdown
A Snapchat conversation discovered on one of the teen’s phones indicated the boys planned to go to the school that afternoon, where they’d be let in by unnamed people. When they stopped by Argue’s house to pick him up, they discovered he was not home and was already at the school, the affidavit says.
Upon entering, the groups separated, and the two older teens were immediately apprehended by CCHS Associate Principal Jason Garman and escorted to the office and questioned by Gillette Police Officer Zach Parker.
That also triggered the school into lockdown with a shelter-in-place alert, according to the affidavit.
It’s not clear if the two older teens were students, but according to the affidavit, both “knew they were not to be at the school.”
One of them also had a knife.
He’d Been Expelled
Meanwhile, Argue, who had previously been expelled from the high school, wandered into a classroom and the teacher notified administration, the affidavit says.
Before he was contacted, he went into a restroom where he allegedly lifted his “white sweatshirt with mushrooms on it” in front of another male student, revealing a “small black gun tucked into his waistband.”
The student was reportedly shocked and scared, and recalled Argue saying, “I wasn’t expecting to come here.”
The affidavit also says a female student also reported to police that she had heard other students talking at lunch about their plans to sneak Argue into the school. When she learned he was there, she went to find him and hug him because she reportedly felt responsible for his being expelled.
Fled Police
Argue then allegedly fled the school building, ignoring calls by police officers to stop. He instead leaped over the fences along the northeast section of the football field and ran into the neighboring Indian Hills Townhouse subdivision, according to the affidavit.
Police set up a perimeter along the subdivision with dozens of patrol officers and Campbell County Sheriff’s Office deputies responding, where Argue was apprehended without incident.
When later questioned at the police station by Detective Cpl. Dan Stroup, Argue allegedly did not deny being at the high school with a gun and showing the firearm to a student in the restroom or any of the statements by students.
Campbell County High School administrators did not return a call requesting comment.
‘Trouble With Authority’
During D.A.’s arraignment Feb. 26 before Campbell County Circuit Court Judge Paul Phillips, Argue said he was convicted of a prior felony and is in a youth diversion program. He also told the judge he has a child who is not in his custody.
Given the impact D.A.’s alleged actions had on the students and the substantial weight of the video and testimonial evidence against him, Phillips felt the teen posed a “substantial danger to the community” as well as a flight risk.
“The court looks at a defendant and youth who has trouble with authority and no apparent regard for the law,” Phillips said.
Argue is being held on a $100,000 cash or surety bond at the Campbell County Detention Center as he awaits his preliminary hearing, which was postponed Thursday afternoon to 10 a.m. April 17.
Another Gun Incident
This latest incident comes on the heels of a 12-year-old Gillette junior high student who was barred from a school dance and ticketed for threatening to shoot people at a dance in May 2023.
In 2018, 14-year-old Dale Warner was charged as an adult for bringing two guns and ammunition to Sage Valley Junior High and indicating his intent to threaten others. He was sentenced to 12 to 20 years. He served time in a prison in Virginia before being returned to Wyoming at age 18. He's currently detained at the state facility in Newcastle.
Jen Kocher can be reached at jen@cowboystatedaily.com.
