Wyoming
Public lands, firearms offenses sentenced in Wyoming district federal courts
CASPER, Wyo — The U.S. Justice Department announced the following sentences rendered in the District of Wyoming this week. The summaries from the U.S. Attorney’s Office are as follows:
Firearm Offenses
Jeffrey Cletus Geist, 58, of Gillette, Wyoming, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, with three years of supervised release to follow for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on March 12, 2024, the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office stopped Geist on his motorcycle for a traffic violation. A canine was deployed on the exterior of the motorcycle and immediately alerted to the presence of narcotics. Deputies located three bags of methamphetamine and a 9mm handgun.
“Geist is a previously convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing a firearm,” the release said. Geist was indicted on Sept.18, 2024 and pleaded guilty on Dec. 18, 2024. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on March 11 in Casper.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christyne Martens prosecuted the case.
Joshua Roye Dunn, 36, of Sheridan, Wyoming, was sentenced to 36 months of supervised probation for being in possession of an unregistered firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sheridan Police Department investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. Dunn was indicted on July 18, 2024, pleaded guilty on Dec. 13, 2024, and Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on March 26 in Cheyenne.
Drug Trafficking and Illegal Reentry of a Previously Deported Alien
Cesar Antancio Torres-Cazares, 36, of La Piedad, Michoacan, Mexico, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and time served for illegal reentry into the United States. He will be deported following his imprisonment.
According to court documents, in November 2023, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation began investigating a cocaine drug trafficking organization in the Jackson, Wyoming, area. Agents conducted a controlled buy from Torres-Cazares, which led agents to his residence, where they found large quantities of cocaine and proof of distribution. After he was arrested, Immigration and Customs Enforcement was contacted because Torres-Cazares is not a U.S. citizen, had previously been removed from the U.S., and had not applied for permission to reenter.
DCI and ICE investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Griswold and Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the cases. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on March 26 in Cheyenne.
Public Land Violations
Douglas Wolfley, 49 of Fairview, Wyoming, was sentenced to a 10-day term of incarceration with credit for 2 days served after pleading guilty to driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol in Yellowstone National Park, his third DUI conviction in 10 years. He also pleaded guilty to possession of an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle.
In addition to the term of incarceration, Wolfley was placed on 3 years of unsupervised probation, terms of which include a ban from Yellowstone National Park during that period and was ordered to pay $3,050 in fines and court costs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes prosecuted the case. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick imposed the sentence on March 18, 2025.
Angela Flaherty, 44, of Seattle, Washington was sentenced to a 7-day term of incarceration after pleading guilty to violating 36 CFR 7.13(j), which requires all foot travel in thermal areas of Yellowstone National Park be confined to marked trails or boardwalks.
“Ms. Flaherty left the boardwalk and viewing area surrounding Old Faithful geyser and walked approximately 10 feet onto the cone of Old Faithful. Some of her conduct was captured on video by another park visitor,” the release said.
In addition to the term of incarceration, Flaherty was ordered to pay $40 in mandatory court costs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes prosecuted the case. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick imposed the sentence on March 19, 2025.
Yiyang Shen, 25 of Doraville, Georgia was sentenced to a 7-day term of incarceration and five years of unsupervised probation, the terms of which include a ban from Yellowstone National Park, after he drove off the designated roadway and parked his vehicle in a thermal area in Yellowstone. He was charged with operating a motor vehicle in a prohibited area in a manner that caused damage to park resources and foot travel in a thermal area not confined to any designated and marked trail or boardwalk. In addition to the terms of incarceration and probation.
Shen is ordered to pay $1,050 in fines and court costs. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick imposed the sentence on March 12, 2025.
Related
CASPER, Wyo. — High school athletics in Wyoming could see some drastic changes in the coming years following legislative changes to the state’s education budget, the Wyoming High School Activities Association recently announced in a statement.
According to the WHSAA, Wyoming school districts are facing a projected $3.9 million shortfall in activities funding, forcing officials to consider significant cuts to high school sports and extracurricular programs.
The WHSAA shared details regarding a new “silo” funding model implemented by the Legislature, stating that the recalibrated block grant model reduced funding for student activities and extra-duty responsibilities from $46.3 million to $42.4 million, an approximately 8.4% decrease statewide.
WHSAA Commissioner Trevor Wilson said the restructuring also restricts district access to an additional $76.2 million in previously flexible funding.
“A significant portion of the [April 28 WHSAA Board of Directors] meeting was dedicated to discussing the projected funding shortfall,” Wilson wrote.
The WHSAA is weighing several strategies to address rising costs with fewer resources. Proposed changes include eliminating regional tournaments and reducing the number of teams qualifying for state events from eight to four; limiting wrestling to two classes and restricting track and field state participants to the top 16 marks; making cuts to soccer, indoor track and field, Nordic and Alpine skiing, swimming and diving, spring golf and tennis; and reducing in-person speech and debate events by half and centrally locating All-State Music events to minimize travel. The board also recommended increasing gate admission or implementing student participation fees to offset costs.
While the WHSAA release states that no plans have been finalized and the various changes are currently just possibilities, Natrona County School District 1 Board of Trustees member Mary Schmidt criticized the WHSAA’s handling of the news at Monday’s board meeting.
“I take some issues with this, [including] the sheer fact that we as Board of Trustees members have not talked about that at all,” Schmidt said. “It is not our intent and it has not been brought to us to cut our athletics or activities budget for the upcoming school year. … I take issue with them picking sports and getting the community upset and ginning them up to be upset that this is all going to be cut when that hasn’t been discussed.”
Later in the meeting, Superintendent Angela Hensley clarified that Natrona County School District 1’s athletics and activities budget saw a reduction of roughly $550,000 in the coming year’s budget, but said the local school district does not plan to cut any sports.
“Thank you, Trustee Schmidt, for saying this, because I think people are wondering — we are not planning to cut athletics and activities for next year,” Hensley said. “We do have to take a look at our entire budget as we have talked about, as we learn more about these new rules that come in.”
Related
Republished with permission from Wyoming News Now, a TV news outlet covering the Cheyenne and Casper areas.
Cheyenne City Council has introduced a temporary moratorium, or pause, on new data center construction.
“The end goal is to actually have regulations in place, to have really heavy public involvement with this with data centers,” said Councilman Mark Moody.
The proposed ordinance is not a permanent ban on data centers and would not affect data centers currently under construction.
Councilman Moody says this is a bipartisan issue.
“I just want to make this clear, I’m not against data centers. We do need them from a national security perspective,” he said.
He said there needs to be more public input and regulations regarding data centers in Cheyenne.
The ordinance would require city staff to study data center impacts such as electricity usage, electricity tariffs, closed-loop cooling systems, groundwater impacts, agricultural impacts, and land value.
Cheyenne LEADS, the economic development corporation for Cheyenne and Laramie County, reported in November 2025 that there are 12 operational data centers in Wyoming, five under construction and plans for 43 data centers announced across the state.
“There needs to be more public input with this, and also to see how many we can sustain here in this community, cause there are talks of 43, and then another day 70. How many can we sustain here?” said Councilman Moody.
The proposed moratorium will now go to the Public Services Committee on Monday, May 18 at noon in the Municipal Building.
Sheridan will play in the North Regional Tournament at Gillette, while the South Regional Tournament will be played at Rock Springs.
North Regional Tournament at Gillette:
Checking record vs. highest team in the quadrant not involved in the tie, Thunder Basin gets the #1 Northeast seed over Campbell County, because the Lady Bolts went 3-1 vs. Sheridan, whereas the Lady Camels went 2-2.
Friday, May 15th:
(#1 NE) Thunder Basin vs. (#4 NW) Jackson – 11am
(#2 NW) Natrona County vs. (#3 NE) Sheridan – 11am
(#2 NE) Campbell County vs. (#3 NW) Kelly Walsh – 1pm
(#1 NW) Cody vs. (#4 NE) Worland – 1pm
Semi-Finals:
Thunder Basin/Jackson winner vs. Natrona County/Sheridan winner – 3pm Winner qualifies for the state tournament.
Campbell County/Kelly Walsh winner vs. Cody/Worland winner – 5pm Winner qualifies for the state tournament.
Consolation Round:
Thunder Basin/Jackson loser vs. Natrona County/Sheridan loser – 3pm LOSER OUT!
Campbell County/Kelly Walsh loser vs. Cody/Worland loser – 5pm LOSER OUT!
Saturday, May 16th:
TBA vs. TBA – 10am LOSER OUT! Winner qualifies for the state tournament.
TBA vs. TBA – 10am LOSER OUT! Winner qualifies for the state tournament.
2 10am winners vs. each other – 1pm 3rd Place
TBA vs. TBA – 1pm 1st Place
South Regional Tournament at Rock Springs:
Friday, May 15th:
(#1 SW) Laramie vs. (#4 SE) Torrington – 11am
(#2 SE) Cheyenne East vs. (#3 SW) Green River – 11am
(#2 SW) Rock Springs vs. (#3 SE) Wheatland – 1pm
(#1 SE) Cheyenne Central vs. (#4 SW) Cheyenne South – 1pm
Semi-Finals:
Laramie/Torrington winner vs. Cheyenne East/Green River winner – 3pm Winner qualifies for the state tournament.
Rock Springs/Wheatland winner vs. Cheyenne Central/Cheyenne South winner – 5pm Winner qualifies for the state tournament.
Consolation Round:
Laramie/Torrington loser vs. Cheyenne East/Green River loser – 3pm LOSER OUT!
Rock Springs/Wheatland loser vs. Cheyenne Central/Cheyenne South loser – 5pm LOSER OUT!
Saturday, May 16th:
TBA vs. TBA – 10am LOSER OUT! Winner qualifies for the state tournament.
TBA vs. TBA – 10am LOSER OUT! Winner qualifies for the state tournament.
2 10am winners vs. each other – 1pm 3rd Place
TBA vs. TBA – 1pm 1st Place
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