Wyoming News Briefs

Shooting complex task force finalizes pre-proposal survey

SHERIDAN (WNE) — The State Shooting Complex Oversight Task Force completed work during its meeting Friday morning that will help it identify communities interested in being home to the complex.

The task force was established by Senate File 169, which Gov. Mark Gordon signed into law March 2.

The task force comprises several legislators and representatives from Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources, Wyoming Travel and Tourism, firearm and archery manufacturers, shooting sports organizations and hunting or wildlife conservation organizations. 

The body is charged with making a recommendation on the nature, size, governance structure, cost and location of the shooting complex to the Wyoming Legislature and Governor’s office. The task force will also establish a request for proposal (RFP) process and criteria to assess proposals.

Members of the task force met via Zoom Friday to finalize a pre-proposal submission outline and process to serve as a precursor to final proposals.

The outline includes several categories for consideration by interested communities, including a detailed description of the land, access to utilities and distance and travel time to highways, airports, lodging and dining options.

“The goal here is to get the communities that are thinking about submitting a proposal to recognize that these are concepts and factors that will be scored eventually,” Co-chair Rep. Art Washut, R-Casper, said.

Wyoming Business Council CEO Josh Dorrell said it’s important a community can manage the future economic benefits of the complex.

Pre-proposal submissions are set to open Nov. 13 with a deadline of March 1, 2024.

Wyoming Game and Fish: Dry Piney wildlife crossings are ‘impressive’ 

KEMMERER (WNE) — It was a small but cheerful group of state officials and wildlife lovers, donors and employees that gathered in the sharp wind and chilly rain off Highway 189 on Thursday morning, Oct. 12, for the Dry Piney wildlife-crossing ribbon cutting event. 

The $15-million project between Big Piney and LaBarge was completed in just over a year, with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the Wyoming Department of Transportation spearheading the much-needed design and construction to protect mainly deer and pronghorn that use the range year-round. 

The wide-open landscape is still intact, although with 34 miles of big game fencing on both sides of the highway to funnel wildlife — and the occasional cow — to nine underpasses connecting one side to the other. 

The rate of vehicle collisions with wildlife is expected to drop dramatically with the Dry Piney project’s completion, said those in attendance. 

Seven underpasses and 8-foot high fencing along a 13.5-mile stretch of Wyoming Highway 30 west of Kemmerer resulted in an 81% reduction in deer-vehicle collisions after three years. 

Another project on U.S. Highway 191 near Pinedale with underpasses, fencing and two overpasses eliminated pronghorn collisions after three years, and mule deer collisions dropped by 79%, according to WYDOT. 

Wyoming has identified 240 projects statewide to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions.

Man accused of driving large amounts of meth and fentanyl into Campbell County pleads not guilty

GILLETTE (WNE) — One man accused of driving large amounts of meth and fentanyl to distribute throughout Campbell County has pleaded not guilty and his co-defendant awaits his District Court arraignment this week.

Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation agents suspected Kieran James Cowan, 33, of being a supplier for Gillette and Campbell County after investigating him throughout the summer, according to court documents. That investigation led to his arrest in September when the vehicle he was in was found with large amounts of meth and fentanyl.

He pleaded not guilty at his Oct. 5 arraignment and the driver of that vehicle, Charles Jon Thompson, 41, also has been bound over to District Court.

Cowan was originally charged with conspiracy to deliver fentanyl in pill and powder forms, meth, cocaine, crack cocaine and carisoprodol, which is a muscle relaxer, and also received felony possession charges for each of those drugs, totaling 12 charges.

But a set of the fentanyl and the crack cocaine charges were dismissed, leaving eight active counts against him.

Thompson, the driver, was bound over on six felony counts: a felony count of conspiracy to deliver for each of the same six conspiracy charges Cowan originally faced. His arraignment is Oct. 25.

In the course of investigating Cowan this summer, Wyoming DCI agents covering northeast Wyoming interviewed a number of people who identified Cowan as a supplier for Campbell County, according to an affidavit of probable cause signed by Wade Dupois, DCI special agent.

Cowan was suspected of driving meth and fentanyl from Denver to Campbell County.

Each conspiracy to deliver count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $25,000 fine or both.

Woman believed daughter was kidnapped when she caused three-car crash

GILLETTE (WNE) — A 48-year-old woman was ticketed for reckless driving when she caused a three-car crash Wednesday afternoon. She told officers that she was speeding because she believed that her daughter had been kidnapped.

The woman was driving a 2016 Chevy truck west on Second Street. A police officer clocked her going 60 mph while driving through the intersection with Highway 59.

She drove through the red light at that intersection and continued west. At the intersection of Brooks Avenue, which also had a red light, she drove through and collided with a 2017 GMC SUV, driven by a 39-year-old woman, said Police Deputy Chief Brent Wasson.

The 48-year-old then spun around and hit a 2000 Toyota that was eastbound on Second Street. It was driven by a 53-year-old woman, and her 22-year-old daughter was a passenger, Wasson said.

The driver of the Chevy truck and the two women in the Toyota were all taken to the hospital for possible injuries. Damage is more than $1000 and the first woman was ticketed for reckless driving.

Although she was clocked going 60 mph, it is likely that she was traveling even faster leading up to that. She told officers she was driving so fast because she thought her daughter had been kidnapped and was being held at the car wash on Second Street.

Police investigated and viewed surveillance footage from the area of the car wash and found nothing to substantiate her claims.

A drug dog from the Sheriff’s Office indicated on the truck but nothing was found, Wasson said, and police determined the woman was not driving impaired.

Group announces wild sheep initiative

LANDER (WNE) — The Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation announced the launch of the Sweetwater Rocks Initiative to return wild sheep to their native range within the Granite Mountains. 

Bighorn sheep historically roamed the Sweetwater Rocks and were documented as early as 1812 by fur trader Robert Stuart and later by trapper Osborne Russell and explorer John C. Fremont. However, native bighorn sheep were extirpated from the area in the early 20th century due to overhunting and disease from domestic sheep. 

An active proposal for their reintroduction has been presented to the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission.

“It is important for the viability of the species in Wyoming to have populations of wild sheep across our landscape,” said Katie Cheesbrough, executive director at WY-WSF. “Isolated herds in high-quality habitat, like the Sweetwater Rocks, are important so that if disease is impacting one herd, we still have a stronghold of another herd that is unaffected and healthy.” 

Increasing the populations of wild sheep in Wyoming also adds additional wildlife viewing and hunting opportunities.

In 2021, a habitat viability study was completed at the University of Wyoming – Monteith Shop and found that the Sweetwater Rocks was ideal, high-quality habitat due to available forage and superb escape terrain. The risk of contact between wild sheep and domestic herds ranks as the lowest probability of occurrence in Wyoming.

The Sweetwater Rocks consists of high-desert habitat dominated by rocky outcrops and sagebrush grasslands. Land features within the 73,101-acre boundary include Devil’s Gate, Split Rock, Lankin Dome, Savage Peak, and Martin’s Cove.

Alleged Walgreens robbers no longer face trial

CASPER (WNE) — Three California men who allegedly robbed a Casper Walgreens and took more than 3500 opioid pills will no longer head to trial, as they are all expected to plead guilty. 

Natrona County District Attorney Dan Itzen was asked to confirm that Joshua Slaughter and Charles Jemison have reached a plea deal with state prosecutors, but he did not respond Monday. 

Curtis Green has already reached a plea agreement, court records show. 

All three men were facing decades in prison for allegedly driving more than 1000 miles to commit the robbery on May 26 at the Wyoming Boulevard Walgreens, the affidavit in the case states. 

Jemison allegedly insinuated they had a gun to take Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Hydromorphone and Methadone, which were worth about $4715. 

Slaughter, who was expected to be the first of the three men to face a jury, was scheduled to start trial Monday, but it was canceled, court records show. He now has a change of plea hearing scheduled for Oct. 25. 

Green was scheduled to stand trial on Oct. 23, but he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance on Oct. 3, court records show. The details of his plea agreement were not disclosed in the records. His sentencing was delayed until a pretense investigation report, which includes “terms of the plea agreement,” prior offense history and restitution and costs, has been conducted by the Wyoming Department of Corrections, Probation and Parole, court records state. 

Jemison’s jury trial was set to start on Oct. 30, but his change of plea hearing has since been scheduled for Oct. 26. 

Two Cheyenne residents sentenced on drug, firearm charges

CHEYENNE (WNE) — Michael Guzman, 40, of Cheyenne was sentenced to 75 months in prison following a guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

According to court documents, on March 18, Laramie County Sheriff ’s deputies discovered more than 60 grams of fentanyl following a traffic stop of a car driven by Guzman. A review of Guzman’s cell phone revealed text messages showing Guzman was selling fentanyl.

U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Oct. 19.

Brandon Marshall Clevenger, 39, of Cheyenne was sentenced to 100 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, during a traffic stop on April 18, investigators found a semiautomatic pistol and more than 600 grams of methamphetamine in a car driven by Clevenger. When interviewed, Clevenger admitted the pistol and methamphetamine belonged to him.

Clevenger was indicted in May and pleaded guilty in July. Judge Johnson imposed the sentence on Oct. 19.

Gray provides petitions to sponsors of initiative to limit property tax

CHEYENNE (WNE) — Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray has provided petitions to the “People’s Initiative to Limit Property Tax in Wyoming through a Homeowner’s Exemption,” which was submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office.

Pursuant to Wyoming law, the people may propose and enact laws by initiative upon completion of the requirements set forth in W.S. 22-24-301. Once the first set of petition forms are provided to the sponsors by the Secretary of State, they have 18 months to gather the requisite number of signatures from qualified registered voters, as required by the Wyoming Constitution, and submit to the Secretary of State’s Office for review and verification.

“The people’s right to propose and enact laws by initiative to address fundamental issues, such as property tax limits, is pivotal to our state,” Gray said in a statement. “At the Secretary of State’s Office, we take our role in the initiative process very seriously, and will work diligently to ensure the ‘People’s Initiative to Limit Property Tax in Wyoming through a Homeowner’s Exemption’ is processed efficiently and in accordance with Wyoming law.”

Yellowstone visitation soars in September

JACKSON (WNE) — Yellowstone National Park hosted 838,458 recreational visits in September, a 48% increase from a year earlier and a 21% increase over September 2019.

“We compare 2023 visitation to 2019 visitation since 2019 was pre-COVID and the subsequent years until 2023 included unusual visitation trends due to COVID (2020, 2021) and the historic flood event in 2022 that closed the park for about two weeks in June,” the park said in a news release.

So far in 2023, the park has hosted more than 4.16 million recreational visits, up 38% from 2022 and up 9% from 2019.