A Powell man who ran two unsuccessful campaigns for a seat in the Wyoming House of Representatives faces up to 215 years in prison and up to $110,000 in fines on claims he physically and sexually abused at least one child for years.
David Kellett, 56, remained in the Park County Detention Center as of Wednesday afternoon, the facility confirmed.
He is charged with one count of felony child abuse (punishable by up to 10 years in prison and $10,000 in fines), another of aggravated child abuse (up to 25 years and $10,000 in fines), and nine counts of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor (up to 20 years and $10,000 each).
The 11 counts were filed Dec. 23 in Powell Circuit Court, in an amended complaint by Park County Deputy Attorney Ericka Smith.
Circuit Court Judge Joey Darrah that same day also transferred Kellett’s case to the higher, felony-level Park County District Court, saying there’s probable cause for the Park County Attorney’s Office to keep prosecuting it, court documents show.
Darrah had imposed a $200,000 cash-only bond.
Kellett ran in the Republican primary election for state House District 25, of Park County, in 2010 and 2012.
He lost to Dave Bonner in 2010, and to Dave Blevins in 2012.
As a “Tea Party” activist, Kellett pushed in 2010 for Wyoming to pass the Health Care Freedom Act, the Powell Tribune reported at the time.
The resolution was meant to resist Obamacare mandates by adding a health care autonomy right to the Wyoming Constitution. It passed, but has been used for another purpose: upholding abortion access in the state.
Court Documents Say …
The evidentiary affidavit, signed Dec. 12 by Powell Police Department Investigator Chris Wallace, alleges harrowing physical and sexual abuse involving at least one child.
It’s also heavily redacted.
The afternoon of Dec. 3, a case worker from the Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS) called Wallace to report a juvenile saying she was sexually abused, the affidavit says.
Wallace wrote that he interviewed the girl two days later, and she said the sexual abuse was frequent and was “never over.”
She reportedly described a male, whose name is redacted but whose alleged actions align with those charged formally against Kellett, compelling her to watch pornography and committing other acts of grooming against her, as well as touching her sexually.
She described the male involving a dog in an act of sexual abuse, and the male calling her “disgusting” and degrading her, the document says.
A minor victim described pushing the male off of her, after which he allegedly yelled at her, grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her to the ground.
She described him repeatedly hitting her and pulling her hair, according to the affidavit.
The girl described being punched and abused, reportedly.
Wallace wrote that he obtained a photograph of her with a black eye, allegedly from being punched.
In another interview, an adult female described the male having a pornography addiction, and this causing problems, the investigator related.
Another minor witness described the male behaving in a sexually unsavory manner and being abusive, added Wallace from another interview.
Some Background Stuff
Kellett filed for divorce from his wife in April, court documents say.
He owns an IT company in Powell, according to Wyoming Secretary of State filings that bear Kellett’s name, and the same phone number listed on court documents and his earlier campaign filings.
Kellett’s defense attorney, Travis Smith, did not immediately respond to a voicemail request for comment placed Wednesday afternoon at his listed number at the Park County Public Defender’s Office.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
