CASPER — A 21-year-old Casper man accused of grabbing a Casper police officer’s testicles and biting him in the groin pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Natrona County District Court on Tuesday.
Sylvester Jakeson Seaton appeared before Judge Kerri Johnson for his arraignment with defense attorney Marty Scott. He told the judge that he had dyslexia but had read the affidavit containing the charges against him “only about 20 times.”
Johnson went over the charges that include three counts of felony interference with a peace officer stemming from injuries he allegedly inflicted on two Casper police officers and one count of misdemeanor interference for his actions impeding their investigation on April 19.
Seaton said he understood the charges and potential penalties. Johnson asked how he would plead to the charges.
“Not guilty,” he said. “I would request all body cam footage.”
Scott asked the judge to reduce Seaton’s bond from $50,000 cash or surety to $20,000 cash or surety. He said his client only has a minor criminal history.
Natrona County Assistant District Attorney Pat LeBrun argued that the bond should remain where it is and that Seaton’s previous charge also involved interference with a police officer.
“He employed a rather extreme level of violence,” LeBrun said. “The affidavit indicates a significant danger to the community.”
Scott countered and told the judge he believed there were “some mental health issues” with his client.
Johnson ruled that the bond was appropriate where it was set.
The Background
Charges against Seaton stem from a call to 911 about 10 p.m. on April 19 regarding a disturbance in the 1400 block of Kearny Avenue in Casper. A woman reported that she was hearing “yelling, screaming,” and things breaking in a nearby back yard.
Arriving officers were told by a resident that people living in a small camper in his back yard were causing the disturbance. He gave officers permission to investigate.
When officers approached the camper, they saw two men and one woman inside. A 26-year-old man inside the camper was seen pulling a box cutter from his pocket, opening the blade, and crouching on the floor near the door of the camper, a police affidavit states.
A 20-year-old woman opened the camper door and closed it behind her. An officer told her he saw the man with the box cutter, the affidavit states. 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. The arm was bleeding significantly.
One of the officers then addressed Seaton, who appeared “dazed,” “confused,” and “possibly intoxicated.”
As one 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, officers instructed Seaton not to walk away.
The affidavit states instead Seaton approached one of the officers and to de-escalate the situation Seaton was put in handcuffs despite his “actively” resisting and trying to pull away and escape.
Continued To Fight
When Seaton continued to fight, he was placed on the ground while the other man and woman were in the camper and could be observed.
Despite police commands and requests to “relax,” Seaton continued rolling on the ground resisting and got his hands on one of the officer’s testicles and was able to “grab them away” from the officer’s body, the affidavit states
The officer pulled away, but Seaton allegedly 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 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.
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 and a $10,000 fine.
The misdemeanor interference charge is punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.
