How Child Molestation Is Charged in Wyoming
When the victim is a child, child molestation in Wyoming is punished under the state’s sexual assault laws (Wyo. Stat. § 6-2-302 et seq.). The specific charge and range of penalties depend on the age of the alleged victim and the type of behavior that is being reported. If you sexually touch or intrude on a child under 13, you could spend the rest of your life in prison. If you have sexual contact with a child between the ages of 13 and 17, you could go to jail for up to 20 years. If the defendant is in a position of authority, the penalties are even worse.
The Investigation Process
In Wyoming, investigations into child molestation usually include forensic interviews of the child by trained professionals, medical exams, and detailed statements from parents, caregivers, and other witnesses. When police get in touch with a suspect, the investigation has usually been going on for weeks. Without a lawyer present, don’t talk to school officials, investigators, child protective services workers, or anyone else in an official capacity. Everything that is said during an investigation is written down and used.
False Accusations and How We Investigate Them
False allegations of child molestation arise in divorce and custody disputes, in instances where children have been coached or influenced by adults, and in cases of authentic misunderstanding or misinterpretation of benign behavior. Forensic interview techniques employed with children are not infallible, and the suggestibility of children – especially young ones – is thoroughly documented in scientific literature. We work with experts in forensic psychology to look at the interview process and how reliable the child’s story is.
Penalty Grid
| Under 13 | Ages 13-17 | Position of Authority | Registration |
| Up to life in prison | Up to 20 years | Enhanced penalties | Lifetime |
Related Charges We Also Defend
Why Clients in Wyoming and South Dakota Choose Just Criminal Law
Our attorneys spent years working for the state before switching sides. We know exactly how prosecutors build cases and exactly where to find the holes.
We do not split our focus between practice areas. Every attorney, every resource, every minute is focused on one thing: your criminal defense.
We know the courts, the judges, and the prosecutors across Wyoming and western South Dakota. Local familiarity shapes strategy and strategy shapes outcomes.
Servicios de traduccion en espanol disponibles. Every client fully understands their case, their options, and their rights.
Real Results for Wyoming & South Dakota Clients
-
OtherSuppression Appeal — Wyoming Supreme CourtDistrict Court denied motion to suppress. Wyoming Supreme Court accepted certiorari on appeal.
Barney v. State of Wyoming — Wyoming Supreme Court
-
CASE DISMISSEDReckless Endangering / Domestic Battery / Child Endangering — Wyoming
Client charged with reckless endangering, domestic battery, and child endangering. All charges dismissed.
State v. Quezada-Lopez — Wyoming Circuit Court
-
CASE DISMISSEDDUI / DWUI — Wyoming
Client charged with DUI. State unable to lay foundation for the breath test. Case dismissed.
State v. Von Olnhausen — Wyoming Circuit Court
-
CASE DISMISSEDFelony Child Abuse — Wyoming
Client charged with accessory after the fact and aggravated child abuse — a felony. State unable to meet its burden of proof at preliminary hearing. Felony count dismissed.
State v. Bullinger — Wyoming District Court
Charged with a crime in Wyoming? Time is critical.
The sooner you have an attorney, the more options you have.
What Clients Say About Just Criminal Law
Frequently asked questions about child molestation charges in Wyoming
Wyoming Criminal Defense — Communities We Serve
We are based in Gillette, Wyoming, and serve clients across the state and into western South Dakota. Our team knows the local courts, prosecutors, and judges in every community we serve — and that local knowledge makes a real difference in criminal defense.
- Deadwood
- Sturgis (Rally)
- Custer County
- Lawrence County
- Meade County
- Pennington County
We provide on-call criminal defense for Rally-related arrests including DUI, drug charges, weapons offenses, and assault. Call us 24/7 during Rally week.
