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Wyoming Man Faces Felonies After Tricking Prosecutors Into Charging Wrong Guy
An Arapaho, Wyoming, man accused of trying to cash a fraudulent $33,000 check now faces more felony charges, on claims he tricked prosecutors into charging someone else in his place.
Clair McFarlandDecember 27, 2024
Pickup Plows Into Wyoming Highway Plow Truck In Ten Sleep Canyon
A slow-moving Ford Ranger plowed into the blade of a WYDOT plow truck in on U.S. Highway 16 in Ten Sleep Canyon on Thursday. The huge Wyoming state plow truck was undamaged. While the driver of the pickup was OK, his truck wasn’t so lucky.
Andrew RossiDecember 27, 2024
Two Yellowstone Snow Coaches Drive Off Road Near Mammoth Hot Springs
Two snow coaches traveling in Yellowstone National Park lost traction and drove off the same patch of road this week. The National Park Service and Xanterra, the park's hotel concessionaire, say both crashes were caused by icy conditions.
Andrew RossiDecember 26, 2024
Cheyenne Teen’s Christmas High Speed Chase In Stolen Car Ends With Crash Into Tree
A 16-year-old Cheyenne teen offender on furlough from jail is accused of stealing his mother’s car and leading police on a high-speed chase. After covering more than 100 miles, the chase ended when the teen crashed into a tree near Wheatland, Wyoming.
Greg JohnsonDecember 26, 2024
Cheyenne Porch Pirate Caught On Camera Grinching A 5-Year-Old’s Christmas
Porch pirates just seem to keep getting more and more bold. But people are fighting back with door cameras, drop boxes and pranks like putting old junk in new boxes. That didn't stop one Grinch from stealing a Cheyenne 5-year-old's Christmas.
Renée JeanDecember 24, 2024
Not Taking Dying Toddler To The ER Is Child Abuse, High Court Rules
A Cody, Wyoming, woman who got life in prison for not taking a dying toddler to the hospital lost her appeal to the Wyoming Supreme Court on Friday. The court ruled that failing to get medical attention for the girl as she died is child abuse.
Clair McFarlandDecember 23, 2024
How Neighbors Teamed Up With Wyoming Sheriff To Get Drug House Demolished
Residents in a Laramie County subdivision said they felt terrorized by squatters who had moved into an abandoned home and turned it into a drug house. It took months of collaboration with local officials but got it successfully torn down.
Renée JeanDecember 23, 2024
Campbell County K-9 Bites Car Chase Suspect Who Said Feds Controlled His Mind
Benjamin Ray Larson led Campbell County Sheriff’s officers on a chase this month and didn’t surrender until officers deployed a K-9 to force him to comply with orders, state troopers report. The K-9 bit Larson, who also claimed the feds had taken over his mind.
Clair McFarlandDecember 23, 2024
Accused Of Stealing Steak And Hot Dogs, Wyoming Woman Could Get 20 Years
Kimberly Duran, 32, of Ethete, Wyoming, faces up to 20 years in prison on claims she stole steak, hot dogs, house slippers and other things from the Riverton Walmart. She's been convicted of theft 21 times prior and is scheduled for court Friday.
Clair McFarlandDecember 23, 2024
They're Not Playing Games, These Wyoming Cops Use Virtual Reality To Train
Virtual reality is good for more than playing the latest video games. Wyoming law enforcement agencies are using the technology to run cutting-edge training programs.
Clair McFarlandDecember 21, 2024
Settlement Allows Calif. Company To Build 175-Foot Cell Tower Outside Yellowstone
Officials in Park County, Wyoming, on Wednesday stopped fighting a California cellphone company that sued to build a nearly 200-foot-tall tower outside Yellowstone National Park. A settlement allows a 175-foot tower to be built next year.
Clair McFarlandDecember 21, 2024
Off-Duty Gillette Cop Spots Stolen Gun While Scrolling Online
An off-duty Gillette police officer scrolling gun sales online spotted a pistol reported stolen six weeks earlier. That led a 19-year-old Wyoming man who had that gun and other stolen weapons. He was charged Thursday with multiple felonies.
Clair McFarlandDecember 20, 2024
Feds Grab Suspected Venezuelan Gang Member From Cheyenne Jail
Federal immigration authorities took custody Friday of an illegal immigrant the local sheriff suspects of being in a Venezuelan gang. The man had just been released from a five-month jail sentence in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Clair McFarlandDecember 20, 2024
Casper Teen Who Said Stabbing Victim “Walked Into The Blade” Pleads Not Guilty
A 17-year-old Casper girl pleaded not guilty in Natrona County District Court on Friday to the Halloween stabbing of another 17-year-old girl. She reportedly told police afterward that the other girl “walked into the blade.”
Dale KillingbeckDecember 20, 2024
Brief: No Arrests — And No Hunt For Suspects — After Deadly Riverton Stabbing
Investigators looking into a fatal stabbing Sunday night in Riverton said they have identified and interviewed people involved but have not made an arrest. They're still investigating, the local undersheriff says.
Clair McFarlandDecember 19, 2024
Man Who Racked Up 7-Foot-Long List Of Citations During Chase Gets Six Months
A Saratoga, Wyoming, man who racked up a 7-foot-long list of citations during a wild chase with a Carbon County Sheriff's Office sergeant got six months in jail last week. That included being ticketed for littering when his tailgate whipped off.
Clair McFarlandDecember 19, 2024
Casper Man Who Killed Accused Child Molester Won’t Sue Over Amputated Toe
A Casper, Wyoming, man who killed his granddaughter’s alleged molester four years ago has withdrawn a lawsuit over his toe being amputated in prison. He claimed prison doctors mistreating a wound resulted in losing a toe.
Clair McFarlandDecember 19, 2024
Minnesota Hunter Who Mistook Moose For Elk In Bighorns Apologizes
A Minnesota hunter who shot a moose with no antlers thinking it was a cow elk wrote a heartfelt apology to the Sheridan Circuit Court last week. He was fined $1,000 and sentenced to one year of probation.
Clair McFarlandDecember 19, 2024
Cheyenne Men Accused Of Stealing Woman's Woodstove From Her Home
A Cheyenne transient and an accomplice are accused of ripping the wood-burning stove out of a woman’s house and driving away with it. They left behind a trail of ash, court documents say.
Clair McFarlandDecember 18, 2024
Ex-Casper Police Officer Pleads Not Guilty To Shooting At Deputies During Standoff
A former Casper Police Officer pleaded not guilty Wednesday to multiple felony charges stemming from a 17-hour standoff in August. He reportedly shot at and threatened to kill deputies during the incident.
Dale KillingbeckDecember 18, 2024
Gillette Man Says He Didn’t Realize What He Was Doing When He Allegedly Stabbed Wife
A Gillette man accused of stabbing his wife repeatedly says he wasn’t mentally well enough to rationalize his conduct at the time, according to a court transcript filed Monday. “I’ll always love you. I’m sorry I stabbed you,” he reportedly told her.
Clair McFarlandDecember 18, 2024
Other Wyoming Counties Don't Let Illegal Immigrants Slip Away, Unlike Teton County
ICE has claimed not communicating with feds is why the Teton County Sheriff’s Office has let 103 illegal immigrants go the last couple of years. Other Wyoming counties don't have that problem, according to data the agency released Tuesday.
Clair McFarlandDecember 18, 2024
It Took Drones, Spike Strips And A School Lockdown To Arrest Wanted Colorado Man
To stop a wanted Colorado man, western Wyoming law enforcement agencies locked down a school, used drones and put out spike strips. They arrested John Fowler, 42, on drug possession and other charges.
Clair McFarlandDecember 17, 2024
Disappearing Creek In Montana Reveals How Deep Water Fights Can Get In The West
When water in a southwest Montana creek disappeared, a couple fought all the way to the Montana Supreme Court and won. It shows how deep water fights can get in the West.
David MadisonDecember 17, 2024
54-Year-Old Wyoming Man Confesses To Molesting Boy 40 Years Ago
A 54-year-old Wyoming man has confessed to molesting a boy 40 years ago, according to court documents. A proposed plea agreement would drop the man’s conviction if he completes treatment and three years of probation.
Clair McFarlandDecember 17, 2024
Former Cheyenne Family Gets $375K In Lawsuit Against Sheriff's Deputy
The state of Wyoming and the Wyoming Association of Risk Management are paying $375,000 to settle a lawsuit against a Laramie County Sheriff’s deputy and school resource officer accused of injuring an 8-year-old in 2022.
Clair McFarlandDecember 17, 2024
Shooting A Drone In Wyoming Could Lead To 10 Years In Prison, Loss Of Gun Rights
The legal consequences for shooting down a drone in Wyoming range from a misdemeanor to a felony charge that could result in up to 10 years in prison and the loss of gun rights.
Clair McFarlandDecember 17, 2024
12 Years In Prison For Fugitive Montana Meth Trafficker With Massive Arsenal
A Montana man who became a fugitive after he was caught with a massive cache of weapons and meth has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. He also was breaking into storage units while running his drug dealing business from an upscale neighborhood.
David MadisonDecember 16, 2024
Cheyenne Man Accused Of Stabbing Estranged Wife's Boyfriend To Death
A Cheyenne man was in court Monday on claims he stabbed his estranged wife’s boyfriend to death in the home they shared. “I did the stabbing,” he reportedly told police after the act Thursday.
Clair McFarlandDecember 16, 2024
Man Burned Escaping Gillette Apartment Fire By Fleeing "Very Close" To Blaze
A fire that engulfed an apartment unit in Gillette, Wyoming, Sunday morning left one man burned and injured from smoke-inhalation. He escaped by rushing “very close” to the flames before firefighters arrived, the local fire marshal says.
Clair McFarlandDecember 16, 2024
Part 3: Who is D.B. Cooper? After 53 Years, Push To Solve Notorious Crime In Overdrive
Cowboy State Daily's story about a parachute found by a high profile investigator has kicked the stalled investigation of one of America’s most notorious mysteries into overdrive. The new evidence has rekindled ex-FBI agents and others to finally solve the D.B. Cooper case.
Jen KocherDecember 15, 2024
Upton Man Arrested And Charged With Planting Homemade Bomb At Oil Field Company
A 39-year-old Upton, Wyoming, man had his first court appearance Friday, accused of planting a homemade propane bomb in the tool shed of an oil field company. The bomb didn’t go off, but was “the real deal,” the local sheriff has said.
Greg JohnsonDecember 14, 2024
In Wake Of CEO Slaying, Wyomingites Not Spooked Over 3D Printed “Ghost Guns”
3D printed “ghost guns” are back in the news, as one might have been used in the ambush killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO. Wyomingites say plastic 3D printed guns aren’t worth the trouble.
Mark HeinzDecember 14, 2024
Sheridan Assistant Principal Convicted For Having Sex With 18-Year Old Student
A now-former Sheridan High School assistant principal was found guilty by a jury Tuesday of having sex with an 18-year-old student. That's illegal in Wyoming when there's an age gap of more than four years.
Clair McFarlandDecember 13, 2024
Riverton Firefighter Charged With Sexually Attacking Women Faces More Accusers
A retired Riverton, Wyoming, firefighter accused of sexually attacking multiple women when he offered them rides asked Monday for more time to prepare for trial. He needs the time to contest claims from more women who have come forward to accuse him.
Clair McFarlandDecember 13, 2024
Worland Police Officer Charged With Child Sex Crimes
A former Washakie County Sheriff's deputy and recent hire of the Worland Police Department has been accused of sex crimes with multiple children. He was charged Monday with two felonies.
Clair McFarlandDecember 12, 2024
Police Arrest Man Suspected Of Trying To Burn Down Lander Bar
The Lander Police Department on Wednesday evening apprehended a 33-year-old Lander man suspected of trying to burn down the popular Lander Bar two days earlier.
Clair McFarlandDecember 12, 2024
Western Colorado Ranchers Missing Nearly 200 Head Of Cattle
The Montrose County Sheriff’s Office on Colorado's Western Slope is investigating nearly 200 cattle missing from federal grazing land reported by ranchers. The cattle is worth an estimated $300,000 to $400,000.
Dale KillingbeckDecember 12, 2024
Feds Deporting Three Illegal Immigrants Who Committed Crimes In Wyoming
Federal authorities are deporting three illegal immigrants out of Wyoming after one was caught with 170 pounds of marijuana and the other two were driving drunk.
Clair McFarlandDecember 12, 2024
Casper Man Who Blurted Out “I Killed Somebody” In Court Found Guilty
A jury took two hours to convict a 44-year-old Casper man who blurted out “I killed somebody” in a prior court hearing of second-degree murder Wednesday. James Mavigliano was found guilty of beating and strangling a man at a local motel.
Dale KillingbeckDecember 11, 2024
Montana Supreme Court Keeps Child Sex Changes Legal During Lawsuit
The Montana Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a lower court’s decision blocking a state ban on child sex-change treatments. Sex change treatments on children will remain legal while a lawsuit plays out.
Clair McFarlandDecember 11, 2024
Wyoming Bitcoin Company Gets $4.1 Million In Chinese Crypto Mine Settlement
Wyoming-based Bison Blockchain will receive $4.1 million in a settlement over a Chinese-owned cryptocurrency mine in Cheyenne. The Chinese company was shut down by President Joe Biden earlier this year over national security risks.
Leo WolfsonDecember 11, 2024
Illinois Trucker Rams Gillette Man's Pickup Off The Road, Police Say
A semitruck driver from Illinois is accused of side-swiping a Gillette man's pickup so hard he crippled it and drove it off the road west of Gillette, Wyoming. His case rose to felony-level court Monday.
Clair McFarlandDecember 11, 2024
Casper Man Denies Firing Crossbow Bolts Through Ex’s Window
A Casper man accused of firing crossbow bolts at his ex-girlfriend’s home, including through a window, pleaded not guilty Wednesday. He also reportedly texted a threat, saying he was going to do something that “will definitely be in the news.”
Dale KillingbeckDecember 11, 2024
Casper Murder Suspect Told Police He Wanted Victim To “Chill,” Not Die
Testimony continued Tuesday in the murder trial of a 44-year-old Casper man accused of killing a man at a local motel. In a video interview with police, James Mavigliano said he just wanted the victim to “chill.”
Dale KillingbeckDecember 11, 2024
California Transient Who Called Machete Attack Self-Defense Gets Probation
A California man who was passing through Green River, Wyoming, when he had a fight with four transients and cut two of them with a machete was sentenced Friday to probation. He maintained during the case that he was acting in self-defense.
Clair McFarland & Hunter McDaniel for Cowboy State DailyDecember 11, 2024
Bureau Of Indian Affairs Agent In Crash On Reservation, Agency Not Talking
The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs did not respond to questions Tuesday about one of its own agents involved in a car crash on the Wind River Indian Reservation early Sunday. The BIA is investigating the incident "internally," authorities say.
Clair McFarlandDecember 11, 2024
Police Seek Whoever Tried To Burn Down Lander Bar
Police are seeking help to identify who tried to burn down the popular Lander Bar in Lander, Wyoming, early Monday morning. The attempt failed, but the bar’s owner says the potential for a “catastrophic” result “was literally the flip of a coin.”
Clair McFarlandDecember 10, 2024
Cheyenne’s “Voodoo Man,” Known For Hexing Businesses, Has Felony Dismissed
Cheyenne’s “Voodoo Man,” known for terrorizing local businesses by throwing curses and threats at them, had a felony charge dropped Monday. He’ll instead face a lesser charge for charging through an election center from which he was banned.
Clair McFarlandDecember 10, 2024
People Steal Wyoming’s Road Signs Because They Think They’re “Cool”
People steal road signs from around Wyoming because they think they’re “cool.” Along with people also shooting, painting and otherwise vandalizing them, WYDOT expects to replace more than 100 in just one small corner of the state.
Hunter McDaniel for Cowboy State DailyDecember 10, 2024
Casper Police Searching For Source Of Shots Fired That Put Schools In Lockdown
Casper law enforcement agents are investigating shots fired near a handful of local schools Tuesday. The schools were put into lockdown for several hours as a precaution.
Clair McFarlandDecember 10, 2024
Murder Trial Starts For Casper Man Who Blurted Out “I Killed Someone” In Court
After blurting out during a court hearing that “I killed somebody last night,” a Casper man’s murder trial began Monday. Jurors heard testimony about how the victim was found dead in a motel room.
Dale KillingbeckDecember 10, 2024
In Brief: Casper Escapee Nabbed After Nearly Four-Hour Manhunt
The Natrona County Sheriff’s Office arrested an escapee from the Casper Re-Entry Center after a nearly four-hour manhunt Monday. A stretch of Salt Creek Highway was closed for hours during the search for Joseph Herrera.
Dale KillingbeckDecember 10, 2024
Wyoming Transgender Sorority Member’s Lawsuit Against Attorneys Headed To Trial
A transgender University of Wyoming sorority member’s lawsuit against two lawyers is headed to trial, a judge ordered Friday. The lawyers represented a group of Kappa Kappa Gamma sisters who protested Artemis Langford’s membership in the sorority.
Clair McFarlandDecember 10, 2024
Jelly Seller Accused Of Hauling 35 Pounds Of Drugs From Las Vegas To Shoshoni
Mary Renee Weymouth, a 63-year-old jam and jelly vendor form Lander, Wyoming, is accused of smuggling 35 pounds of drugs into the state. She allegedly hauled meth and pot from Las Vegas to Shoshoni.
Clair McFarlandDecember 09, 2024
Cheyenne Man Unfazed By Police Tasers During Rampage Faces New Charges
A Cheyenne man who was unfazed by tasers when he allegedly attacked local police with multiple weapons in April now faces a possible life sentence. New felony charges were filed against Ronald Andrew Romero on Friday.
Clair McFarlandDecember 09, 2024
Family Still Desperate For Answers 43 Years After Young Wyoming Mother Vanished
Amber Scholz was a 21-year-old mother in a custody battle with the father when she vanished from her Rock Springs home in 1981. Now 43 years later, her family is still desperate for answers.
Jen KocherDecember 08, 2024
DNA Test Links Pinedale Woman To 27-Year-Old Cold Case Of Dead Baby Found In Septic Pit
A 23-year-old Michigan woman says she was shocked to learn that her Ancestry DNA test kit helped lead to the arrest of her grandmother living in Pinedale, Wyoming. Michigan State Police say the DNA links the grandmother to a 27-year-old cold case of a dead baby found in a Michigan septic pit.
Jen KocherDecember 08, 2024
Horsehair Thieves Cutting Off Horse Tails And Manes In Albany County
Thieves supply a black market for horsehair by sneaking into pastures and stalls and cutting off the animals’ tails and manes. Horse owners say there’s been a rash of such crimes around Laramie.
Mark HeinzDecember 07, 2024
Rock Springs Man Gives Grisly Account Of Stabbing Victim 30 Times
A Rock Springs, Wyoming, man gave a grisly confession Friday about stabbing a man more than 30 times, killing him, and dumping his body last year. He said it happened after a meth-fueled argument about a woman with whom they were both involved.
Clair McFarlandDecember 07, 2024