A reporter from southeastern Wyoming submitted forged documents and lied about her credentials during state permitting proceedings through which she opposed a controversial wind farm project, court documents allege. 

April Marie Morganroth, 40, who also has listed aliases of April Marie Hamilton and April Marie McClellan, now faces 10 felonies in Wheatland Circuit Court. If convicted, she could face up to 65 years in prison and $65,000 in fines. 

The name Morganroth uses as a journalist in her byline is Marie Hamilton, which is also listed in the case’s criminal affidavit.

Hamilton is the publisher of the short-lived Wyoming Sentinel, a startup publication that has been inactive since late last year that covered Platte, Goshen and Laramie counties. Hamilton also has worked as a freelancer for Wyoming outlets. 

Platte County Deputy Attorney Marel Bunker Roth charged Hamilton on Monday in Wheatland Circuit Court. If the court finds probable cause to back the charges during Hamilton’s March 18 preliminary hearing, it will ascend to the Platte County District Court for a potential trial. 

Investigators allege Hamilton, objecting to a wind farm project a state panel was reviewing, submitted forged documents including letters purporting to be from a doctor and teacher; in an effort to sway state officials. Investigators also said Hamilton lied about her credentials and that she was a property owner near the project. 

Converse County Sheriff’s Investigator Benjamin Peech wrote in a March 9 evidentiary affidavit, now filed in Wheatland Circuit Court, that his undersheriff assigned him and Investigator Amber Peterson to help the Platte County Attorney’s Office investigate allegations of forgery and perjury, relating to a multi-day administrative hearing.

Hamilton could not be reached for comment Friday, as Cowboy State Daily left a voicemail with her phone. Her court record shows the public defender’s office is being assigned to her case: that office has declined for years to comment on ongoing cases. It did not immediately return a late-day voicemail Friday.

The Project

The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality’s Industrial Siting Council, whose administrative arm is the Industrial Siting Division, heard testimony in November and December 2025 regarding whether NextEra Energy Resources could gain a permit to build a wind farm in the Chugwater area. 

It’s been a controversial topic in Platte County. Disputes about the wind project also led to a citizen complaint for Gov. Mark Gordon to investigate and push for the removal of all three Platte County Commissioners. 

But, citing concerns over some dubious and some untrue claims in that complaint, Gordon declined Feb. 25 to act upon it. 

Hamilton submitted exhibits to the Industrial Siting Division (ISD) for the hearings. 

Three exhibits, titled Exhibits J, K, and L, Hamilton asked the division to admit under seal since they concerned her children. 

One was a letter allegedly authored by Dr. Aaron Meng, and the other two were documents allegedly authored by Laramie County School District No. 1 teacher Audrey Adams. 

Hamilton called them true documents and spoke about them at length, Peech recounted in his affidavit. 

But Marianne Shanor, the attorney representing NextEra, called Wyoming Attorney General supervisory attorney Greg Weisz the night of Nov. 20, saying she believed the documents might be forgeries. 

The council held an executive session Nov. 21 to review the three exhibits. 

Hamilton asserted they were true documents authored by Meng and Adams, says the affidavit, adding that Hamilton also said Meng and Adams would call into the hearing later. 

The affidavit says Hamilton testified under oath at this hearing.

Letters Face Scrutiny

Meng and Adams did not call into the hearing, says the affidavit. 

Around Thanksgiving, Weisz and his paralegal assistant Carrie Mays contacted the supposed authors of the exhibits, who both denied having written them, the affidavit says. 

Both provided documentation denying they’d written the documents, Peech added. 

One final portion of the wind permitting hearing was set for Dec. 29. 

Hamilton asked to withdraw as a party to the proceedings, and she asked to withdraw the three exhibits, but Weisz objected, since the exhibits had drawn testimony from her and the members of the Industrial Siting Council had viewed them. 

Peech confirmed essentially this same series of allegations by interviewing Industrial Siting Division administrator Jenny Staeben, his affidavit says. 

Staeben furnished more details as well. 

She said that ahead of the hearing, Hamilton had claimed to own a property on JJ Road in Chugwater, which Peech would later confirm belongs to someone else, the affidavit says. 

Staeben reportedly said Hamilton claimed her address was required by federal law to be kept confidential since she’s a reporter. 

Hamilton asserted that she was enrolled at the University of Wyoming law school and was working on her law degree, that she had a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and a PhD in journalism from Arizona State University, that she owned the Hamilton/Geiss brand in Wyoming, and that she operated various family ranching businesses in several states — the affidavit relates from Staeben’s account.

Staeben said she kept the confidential exhibits in a safe at her office. 

At the hearing Dec. 29, Weisz told the council in a public hearing that he’d obtained documentation that the people Hamilton had claimed authored the exhibits, did not author the exhibits. 

Cowboy State Daily reported on that hearing. Hamilton told the outlet afterward that the Industrial Siting Division had ignored her attempts to show the documents’ origin.

She also claimed the agency violated her child’s privacy by airing some of their contents during the authenticity debate.

Weisz at the Dec. 29 hearing did not go into detail as to the documents’ health claims. He denied Cowboy State Daily’s request for the documents, noting they were under seal. 

Investigator’s Search For Identity

Peech wrote in the affidavit that a Spectrum bill dated May 13, 2023, linked Hamilton to an address in Cheyenne. 

He also wrote that an April Marie McClellan, which he listed as one of Hamilton’s alias names, was convicted of felony forgery in Arizona in 2008. 

Peech wrote that he contacted the University of Wyoming and the personnel there told him “no person with any of the names had ever been enrolled in the University of Wyoming or University of Wyoming Law School.”

The Wyoming Brand Inspector’s office confirmed that there were no current or former brands under Hamilton’s name or aliases, Peech wrote.

An arrest warrant return document says “Morganroth” was arrested Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., pursuant to a March 3 warrant. 

Work As Reporter

The Wyoming Sentinel, the online publication for which Hamilton is listed as the publisher, has not published any news stories in more than three months. She has previously written for the Platte County Record Times.

Over the last few months, Hamilton has been writing for the Oil City News with her most recent story having been published last week. 

She wrote many stories about the state legislative session, which ended last week.

Oil City News managing editor Klark Byrd told Cowboy State Daily in a Friday interview that Hamilton was on a freelance contract.

“All her stories were double-checked by me before we published, and verified with legislative videos as they went live on YouTube,” said Byrd. “And that was her only work for us.” That work spanned from Feb. 10 to March 6, he said.

Once Oil City management learned of her arrest, said Byrd, “we terminated the freelance contract.”

More About That Hearing

The proposed build by NextEra Energy Resources is a 300-megawatt wind energy, 150 megawatt solar and 150 megawatt battery storage system (BESS) facility slated for a Platte County parcel east of Chugwater and Interstate 25.

The council approved the permit after hours of testimony Dec. 29, and amid locals’ concerns over the potential health risks of living near turbines, the potential to kill eagles, incursions on wildlife corridors by the solar project, and the chance that the BESS could rupture and pollute the groundwater, or suffer a thermal runaway.

The council added conditions for groundwater quality monitoring, and a greater distance between wind towers and a concerned resident’s home.

The Tally

The counts filed against Hamilton are as follows:

Three counts of possession of forged writings, punishable by up to five years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines;

Three counts of forgery, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines;

Four counts of perjury, each punishable by up to five years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines.

Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.

The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality is encouraging residents who rely on private wells to take a closer look at their water systems as part of National Groundwater Awareness Week.

Friday, March 13, has been designated “Know Your Well Day,” an initiative aimed at educating the thousands of Wyoming residents who depend on private wells for their drinking water. Officials say the goal is to remind homeowners to regularly “test, tend, and treat” their wells to ensure their water is safe.

Unlike public water systems, the quality of water in private wells is not regulated by state or federal agencies. That means the responsibility for monitoring water safety falls on the well owner.

“Because private well owners are responsible for their own water quality, routine testing is the most reliable way to ensure a safe water supply,” said Wylee Rizzitello, who helps oversee the state’s Know Your Well program.

State officials recommend private well owners test their water at least once a year for bacteria and nitrates. Additional testing may be needed if water changes in taste, odor, or appearance, or after events like flooding or system repairs.

Homeowners are also encouraged to inspect their wells regularly, making sure caps are secure and that the area around the wellhead is free from potential contaminants such as fertilizers, pesticides, or motor oil.

If testing reveals contaminants, WDEQ recommends working with a certified professional to install an appropriate water treatment system.

To help residents maintain their wells, the agency provides educational resources, including fact sheets and instructional videos on collecting water samples. Find more info here.

The final weekend in the 2026 Wyoming High School basketball season is here. The 3A and 4A girls’ basketball state championships are in Casper, where two teams will win a state title during the second weekend in March. The Class 3A and 4A girls’ games will be at the Ford Wyoming Center (FWC) and Casper College (CC). Both defending champions can defend their title after qualifying for the state tournament. The defending champions in Class 3A are the Douglas Bearcats, who have officially won seven in a row. The Cheyenne Central Indians will try to repeat in 4A.

WYOPREPS 3A-4A GIRLS BASKETBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE 2026

Day one action in 3A is at the Ford Wyoming Center. Day two is at Casper College. The consolation and third-place games are at Casper College. The championship is at the Ford Wyoming Center on Saturday, March 14. It is the first of the four big school state championship games.

THURSDAY, MARCH 12:

Final Score: (2W) Lander 52 (3E) Burns 43 – The Tigers’ 13-point lead was trimmed to 2 in the 4th quarter, but Lander answered with a 7-0 run to regain control of the game. Then a 10-0 run over the last 3 minutes helped them pull away. Goklish had 13 points to lead 3 Tigers in double figures. Barrett scored a game-high 24 points for the Broncs.

Final Score: (4W) Lovell 57 (1E) Wheatland 48 – The Bulldogs pulled away with a 15-7 third quarter. Ali Walker and Brooklin Clark combined for 36 points and 13 rebounds. Anderson had 19 pts to lead 3 Bulldogs in double figures. Lovell shot 51 percent, including 62.5 percent in the 2nd half. They also had 12 second-chance points.

Final Score: (2E) Douglas 39 (3W) Pinedale 37 – The Bearcats built a 9-point lead in the 2nd half and held off a Wranglers comeback. Pinedale had a chance to tie the game with 5.1 seconds left, but missed a free throw. Douglas makes 1-2 FTs, and the Wranglers didn’t get a shot off in the last 2.1 seconds. Leah Ewing led Douglas with 12 points. Sarah Smith added 9 points & 15 rebounds. Alyxis White scored 11 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the Wranglers.

Final Score: (1W) Cody 82 (4E) Buffalo 43 – The Fillies used a 23-point 2nd quarter to pull away, and then added 26 in the 3rd quarter. Grace Hays scored 24 points to lead five Fillies in double figures. Cody scored 18 points off turnovers and had 17 second-chance points. The Fillies shot 55 percent and held the Bison to 29 percent from the floor. Karly Davis scored 22 points to lead Buffalo.

FRIDAY, MARCH 13:

Game 5: Burns vs. Wheatland, 9 a.m. (CC) – loser out

Game 6: Pinedale vs. Buffalo, 10:30 a.m. (CC) – loser out

Game 7: Lander vs. Lovell, 3:30 p.m. (CC) – semifinal

Game 8: Douglas vs. Cody, 5 p.m. (CC) – semifinal

SATURDAY, MARCH 14:

Game 9: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 9 a.m. (CC) – Consolation Trophy Game

Game 10: Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 10:30 a.m. (CC) – 3rd Place Game

Game 11: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 2:30 p.m. (FWC) – Championship Game

Read More Girls Basketball News from WyoPreps

WyoPreps Girls Basketball Standings 3-9-26

WyoPreps 1A-2A Girls State Basketball Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps 3A-4A Girls Regional Basketball Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Final Basketball Poll 2026

WyoPreps 1A-2A Girls Regional Basketball Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Poll 2-25-26

WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 10 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Poll 2-18-26

WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 9 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-11-26

WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 8 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-4-26

WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 7 Scores 2026

Nominate A Basketball Player for the WyoPreps Athlete of the Week Honor

Day one action in 4A is at Casper College. Day two is at the Ford Wyoming Center. Day three is trophy day, and for 4A, all the games are at the Ford Wyoming Center. The championship is at the Ford Wyoming Center on Saturday, March 14. It is the third of the four big school state championship games.

THURSDAY, MARCH 12:

Final Score: (2E) Cheyenne Central 57 (3W) Evanston 42 – Central jumped out to a 9-0 lead and never trailed. Evanston pulled within 10 in the 4th quarter, but was outscored 10-5 the rest of the game. Wade & Needham scored 10 points each for the Indians, who scored 30 points off 29 Evanston turnovers. Hiatt had 21 points for the Red Devils.

Final Score: (1W) Green River 45 (4E) Sheridan 38 – OT – The Wolves survive the Broncs. They outscored them 10-3 in the extra session. Isa Vasco scored 23 points to lead all scorers. She scored the last 13 points of the game for GR and had the tying 3-pointer with 10.8 seconds left in regulation. Bilyeu & Erramouspe had 11 pts each for Sheridan.

Final Score: (3E) Thunder Basin 44 (2W) Star Valley 39 – OT – The Bolts outscored the Lady Braves 13-8 in OT. Addy Rouse led 3 TB players in double figures with 18 points. TB was 11-13 at the FT line in OT. The Bolts scored 15 points off 18 SV turnovers. Ambrey Nelson paced the Braves with 9 points and 10 rebounds.

Final Score: (1E) Cheyenne East 63 (4W) Natrona County 22 – The Thunderbirds used a 21-point 2nd quarter to pull away. East had 6 players score between 9 and 12 points. They scored 23 points off 24 NC turnovers, and East shot 54 percent for the game.

FRIDAY, MARCH 13:

Game 5: Evaston vs. Sheridan, 9 a.m. (FWC) – loser out

Game 6: Star Valley vs. Natrona County, 10:30 a.m. (FWC) – loser out

Game 7: Cheyenne Central vs. Green River, 3:30 p.m. (FWC) – semifinal

Game 8: Thunder Basin vs. Cheyenne East, 5 p.m. (FWC) – semifinal

SATURDAY, MARCH 14:

Game 9: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 9 a.m. (FWC) – Consolation Trophy Game

Game 10: Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 10:30 a.m. (FWC) – 3rd Place Game

Game 11: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 5:30 p.m. (FWC) – Championship Game