A Torrington woman accused of allowing her boyfriend to perform sex acts with a 4-year-old girl in her care for the promise of $5,000 is scheduled for a plea hearing Thursday in Goshen County District Court.
Meanwhile, her boyfriend, already convicted by a jury of sexually abusing the girl, will be sentenced Friday.
Alvin Syrovatka, 69, could get up to 12 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 for sexual exploitation of a child, and up to 20 years for second-degree sexual abuse of a minor.
The case against Angela Montoya picked up steam after Syrovatka was convicted in October 2025 and investigators learned he had a secret cellphone they weren’t aware of during the trial.
His attorney had the phone and turned it over after authorities got a search warrant, according to court documents filed in Montoya’s case.
On the phone, they found text messages between Montoya and Syrovatka that revealed an alleged pattern of abuse against the 4-year-old, who was in Montoya’s custody. Syrovatka’s court file says she was the child’s guardian.
The secret cellphone contained 92 graphic photographs and videos depicting sex acts with adults and children — including infants and toddlers — and extensive text conversations between the couple, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in Montoya’s case.
It was also a text message that led to Syrovatka's prosecution and ultimate conviction on child sex charges, according to an affidavit filed in his case.
Someone close to Montoya saw a disturbing text exchange and took photos of it to turn over to law enforcement, the affidavit says.
In it, Montoya asks her boyfriend not to tell a family member “what he does with (the girl),” the affidavit says. “Alvin stated to Angela that he had had sexual contact with (her) by saying that … ‘what I do is rub her (private area) and jack off.’”
He also said that he tried to get the girl to perform oral sex on him, but she didn’t like it.
Denials
Montoya’s affidavit outlines a convoluted relationship between her and Syrovatka, who lived together while he was married to someone else in another town in Wyoming.
It was the same with her interviews with police, at times denying the allegations of sexual abuse against the young girl. Other times, she told police she felt afraid of Syrovatka and helpless to stand up to him.
“Montoya eventually became emotional and discussed concerns that Syrovatka would kick Montoya out of the house,” the affidavit says. “Montoya discussed Syrovatka would tell Montoya about fantasies and that those fantasies worried Montoya.
She also “discussed Syrovatka was sending texts about his fantasies involving (the child),” the affidavit adds. “Montoya discussed Syrovatka taking (the child) into the bathroom alone … and being threatened by Syrovatka if Syrovatka did not get his way.”
After learning of Syrovatka’s other cellphone and examining it, investigators brought Montoya in for another round of interviews in late January.
By that time, she was adamant in her denial that any sex abuse happened, saying it was all just Syrovatka expressing his fantasies and exercising his freedom of speech.
She also said he was wrongfully convicted.
“Montoya vehemently denied any knowledge of, or involvement in or possession of CSAM (child sexual abuse material), and also of (the child) being abused,” the affidavit says.
Free Speech And $5,000
Although a jury had convicted him months earlier, Montoya was defensive with investigators, telling them there was no evidence against him and that expressing fantasies is protected free speech.
“Montoya claimed the messages from Syrovatka were his fantasies,” according to the affidavit. “‘I mean, it was one of his fantasies, but I wasn’t gonna allow it.’
“‘This is just something that he does,’” she continued. “‘He writes this kind of stuff just to get aroused. And I just kind of reply to him because that’s what he liked. I mean … freedom of speech. No one protects that anymore.’”
About her boyfriend’s offer to give her $5,000 in exchange for sexual access to the child, Montoya said no money changed hands, the affidavit says.
“She was ‘in a bad situation’” financially but said she would never have allowed the girl around her boyfriend, the document adds.
What Montoya Saw
While at one point saying she would never give Syrovatka access to the child, Montoya also told investigators about an interaction she saw between the man and girl.
“Montoya discussed witnessing an incident involving Syrovatka in the living room of Syrovatka’s residence sitting on the couch with his penis out and (the child) present,” the affidavit says.
The child began to pull down her own pants, “However, Montoya claimed she intervened before anything could happen,” according to the affidavit. “Montoya stated Syrovatka then got mad and went home.”
When pressed about why she never called the police on Syrovatka, Montoya said she was scared and felt powerless to do anything.
At that point, the affidavit says she was asked again if she had knowledge of Syrovatka “having regular sexual contact with (the child), which she confirmed.”
Both Montoya and Syrovatka remain in custody at the Goshen County Detention Center.
Montoya faces felony charges of sexual exploitation of a child, conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation, and accessory before the fact to exploitation of a child.
Each charge carries the same sentence, if convicted: five to 12 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.
Greg Johnson can be reached at greg@cowboystatedaily.com.
