The Riverton Volunteer Fire Department has disavowed a retired member accused of sexually attacking women who were either stranded or walking after offering them rides in his truck.
Charlie Lawrence, 53, faces one count of second-degree sexual assault and another of third-degree sexual assault, on claims he offered two women rides in his truck about a year apart from one another, then attacked them sexually by groping one and digitally penetrating the other.
“We want to be clear that Charlie Larence is retired from our organization,” Jacob Blumenshine, RVFD Fire Chief, wrote in a Saturday-evening press release.
The statement was in response to the local newspaper reporting Lawrence is a Riverton "firefighter.” Lawrence retired in June 2020, says the statement.
As of Sunday morning, Lawrence’s photo remained in a gallery of RVFD personnel on the agency’s website listed as “firemen.”
Court documents say the earliest allegations underpinning the sex crimes now charged against Lawrence date to March of 2023 - three years after his retirement.
“The alleged actions of Mr. Lawrence are not condoned, nor tolerated, by myself or any of the members of The Riverton Volunteer Fire Department,” says the statement. “Our mission is to protect the lives and property of citizens of the Riverton Fire Protection District and visitors to our area.”
Any RVFD member found to be involved in any form of criminal activity will be dismissed immediately and not welcome to any RVFD function or property, the statement says, adding that RVFD’s policy requires a full criminal background check, including fingerprinting through the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation for all applicants.
“This not only keeps us compliant with current Wyoming State Statute … but also provides our patrons an extra layer of security when interacting with our membership,” the statement says.
Blumenshine says anyone with questions or concerns to contact him directly, in the statement.
The Claims
Riverton Police Department Officer Christian Amos investigated allegations surrounding Lawrence for more than a year, tracking down one woman at her probation officer’s office and another at the local jail.
Both said they’d accepted rides from a man matching Lawrence’s description, then he’d pushed himself on them sexually, court documents say.
One of the women told Amos that she “shut down” with fear after Lawrence “forced himself” on her with his fingers while she begged him to stop, according to an affidavit in the case.
A Riverton convenience store’s camera system captured the woman’s tearful escape from a man’s truck Jan. 9, the day of the alleged attack, says the document. Convenience store managers also said that the woman rushed into the store to hide, while distraught and explaining she’d been sexually assaulted, reportedly.
Lawrence’s case is ongoing in the Fremont County District Court. If convicted on both charges and sentenced consecutively, he could face up to 35 years in prison. He could not be reached for comment Saturday evening.
