CASPER - A former Casper Police Officer who prosecutors say shot at officers during a 17-hour armed standoff last August pleaded guilty to six of seven charges against him Thursday in Natrona County District Court.
Michael Hughes, 31, accepted a plea agreement with Natrona County District Attorney Dan Itzen who agreed to drop a felony property destruction charge, in exchange for Hughes pleading guilty to five counts of aggravated assault and battery and one count of reckless endangering.
The charges stem from a standoff Aug. 22 - 23, 2024, at the Quail Run Apartments on the southeast side of the city where Natrona County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call from his estranged wife that Hughes was suicidal and had threatened to shoot law enforcement responders.
Itzen told the court he would limit his sentencing request to five years in prison and ask that all of the charges against Hughes be served concurrently. He said Hughes would still be responsible for restitution for the felony property destruction charge that was dropped.
Hughes, who is out on bond, appeared in court in a black suit, tie, and white shirt. He sat beside his attorney Trevor Schenk respectfully answering and listening to instructions and answering questions from Judge Catherine Wilking.
“I was going through a mental health crisis and became suicidal and became intoxicated,” he told the judge. “Because of my intoxication and mental state, I don’t recall everything.”
Hughes did tell the judge that he threatened officers and that he “fired a shot” through his window.
“Were law enforcement officers in the vicinity when you did that?” the judge asked.
“Yes, ma’am,” Hughes replied.
Hughes also told the judge that he had a “handgun” and fired a shot into the ceiling above him.
Itzen told the court that the bullet was lodged in about two feet of concrete in the floor between the apartments.
Treatment On Bond
Court records show that following his arrest, Hughes’ initial $500,000 bond was reduced to $20,000 cash so he could attend a mental health treatment program in Utah for police and first responders that specializes in helping those dealing with mental health issues, addiction, and the impact of trauma. He completed the treatment.
Hughes also has been on continuous alcohol monitoring as part of his bond. He lost his police job as a result of the incident.
The arrest affidavit showed that the August standoff followed Hughes drinking whiskey and beer the evening of Aug. 22 after a phone conversation with his estranged wife during which he made threats to kill himself.
Court documents show that Hughes’ wife had filed for divorce and his attorney was served with papers six days earlier on Aug. 16.
The arrest affidavit states Hughes’ wife informed him she was calling dispatch after he made comments about self-harm. Hughes allegedly responded he would “shoot a motherf***er through the door.”
Deputies were dispatched to his Quail Run Apartments home, and from about 11:30 p.m. Aug. 22 and until about 4:15 p.m. Aug. 23, a standoff ensued that included members of the Natrona County Special Response Team and negotiators.
At the complex, deputies found Hughes’ girlfriend in the parking lot who told them Hughes had been bringing guns into the kitchen and had ordered her to leave. When she refused, she said Hughes pointed a handgun to the ceiling and fired off a round.
Threats
During the standoff, an arrest affidavit states that Hughes made repeated threats to “to kill law enforcement officers and attempted to solicit officers to enter his apartment so he could kill them.”
He shot a pistol through a window that tactical officers were stationed beside. He also snatched a drone out of the air, broke it and threw it back out the window.
Hughes allegedly told officers, “Bring it on,” and invited them to, “Come on in, let’s do this. You know how it’s going to end.”
During the standoff, Hughes went through mood swings and went from making suicidal “ideations and plans” to apologizing to his friends and colleagues for his conduct, the affidavit states.
At the end of the standoff, Hughes told deputies he was going to handcuff himself, put the handcuffs on and deputies entered his apartment and took him into custody.
A search of the apartment yielded three handguns, two 9 mm and one 10 mm. Investigators found three spent shell casings, a handwritten will, two bullet holes in the ceiling and one in the window where he shot at Special Response Team members.
Some residents of the apartment complex were evacuated during the standoff.
Each aggravated assault and battery charge potentially carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and an up to $10,000 fine or both. The reckless endangering charge carries a potential punishment of up to one year in jail.
The judge told Hughes that she was not necessarily bound by the deal.
As part of a “cold plea” term to the plea agreement, should Hughes violate any terms of bond until sentencing or commit any further crime the deal would be off.
Wilking ordered a pre-sentence investigation and continued Hughes’ bond.
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.
