CASPER — A 21-year-old man accused of pulling a Casper police officer’s testicles and biting him in the groin could faces felony charges and a potential 30 years in prison.
Sylvester Jakeson Seaton made his initial appearance in Casper Circuit Court on Monday on three felony counts of interference with a law enforcement officer and one misdemeanor of the same charge.
Casper police were dispatched to the 1400 block of Kearney Avenue for a disturbance about 10 p.m. Sunday for a woman reporting that she was hearing “yelling, screaming, and breaking things” in a nearby back yard.
Officers arriving at the scene were told by a resident that people living in a small camper in his back yard were causing the disturbance.
When officers approached the camper, they saw two men and one woman inside — and one of the men appeared to be getting ready to attack law enforcement.
A 26-year-old man inside the camper was seen pulling a box cutter from his pocket, open the blade, and crouch on the floor near the door of the camper, a police affidavit states.
A 20-year-old woman opened the door to the camper and closed it behind her. That’s when an officer told her he saw the man with the box cutter.
She told the man to drop the weapon, and when she opened the door again officers saw the man bleeding from his left arm.
“(The man) advised he cut himself to see if his knife was still sharp,” the affidavit states.
Bleeding Arm
As the man left the camper, his arm was bleeding significantly, the affidavit says.
One of the officers then addressed Seaton, who appeared “dazed,” “confused,” and “possibly intoxicated."
As an officer dealt with the bleeding man, Seaton got up and tried to leave the camper. Still trying to determine if the bleeding man was a victim or needed medical attention, Seaton was instructed not to walk away.
Seaton instead approached one of the officers. Seeing that, another officer “wanted to de-escalate the situation by putting Seaton in handcuffs,” the affidavit says.
Seaton “actively” resisted and tried to pull away and escape, but officers put handcuffs on him without any injuries to anyone involved, the affidavit states.
At that point, Seaton continued to fight and was placed on the ground while the other male and female in the camper, “who had been seen with knives,” could be observed.
The 26-year-old man with the bleeding arm told Seaton to “comply,” according to the affidavit.
Instead, Seaton continued rolling on the ground trying to get up, despite police commands and requests to “relax.”
Grabbing Testicles
Seaton then rolled and got his hands on one of the officer’s testicles and was able to “grab them away” from the officer’s body.
The officer pulled away, but Seaton kept hold of his testicles and pants, while at the same time biting the shin of the officer’s partner “breaking the skin” and causing bruising.
Meanwhile, Seaton was struck in the face twice by the officer whose testicles he held, which was “effective” in getting the 21-year-old to let go.
Additional officers arrived to help get control Seaton on the ground in preparation for putting him in a full-body restraint system.
Seaton continued to fight and roll on the ground and maneuvered his head and mouth to the groin area of the same officer whose testicles he had grabbed.
“(Seaton) bit (the officer) in the upper right groin area ripping (the officer’s) pants and causing an abrasion in the inner groin that broke the skin and caused bleeding,” the affidavit states.
The officer said it felt like he had been stabbed in the groin and he hit Seaton again in the face, which made Seaton roll away to his other side where he appeared to try to bite other officers, the affidavit states.
Officers finally gained control of Seaton and he was placed in a restraint.
He was arrested and charged for interfering and causing bodily injury to peace officers while they were performing their duties.
Both officers involved were treated by Banner Wyoming Medical Center for their injuries.
All three felony interference charges stemming from biting the shin of one officer and pulling the testicles and biting the groin of the other each carry a potential penalty of 10 years in prison.
The misdemeanor interference charge is punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Seaton remains in the Natrona County jail on a $50,000 cash or surety bond.
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.
