Sex Crime Defense Attorney in Gillette, WY

Just Criminal Law defends sex crimes charges in Gillette and throughout Campbell County. Our founder, Christina L. Williams, was a former prosecutor. She knows how these cases are built because she has built them herself.

Do Not Talk to Police Before You Call an Attorney

Why Detectives Contact Suspects Before Charges Are Filed

Most sex crime investigations are quiet for days or weeks. Investigators interview the accuser, review any medical exams, and pull phone records. When a detective calls, he wants one thing from you: the missing piece.

What “Just Getting Your Side of the Story” Actually Means

It means an interview designed to produce evidence.

• A voluntary “come down and talk” interview is not a custody. Police do not have to read Miranda warnings to you, and anything you say can be used.
• Staying quiet is not enough on its own. In Salinas v. Texas, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed prosecutors to use a man’s silence before arrest because he had never explicitly invoked the Fifth Amendment.
• Say it out loud: “I invoke my right to remain silent and my right to an attorney.” Then stop talking.
• Explaining yourself rarely ends an investigation. It usually gives the State a time, a place, or admission of contact.

Sex Crime Charges in Wyoming: What You Are Facing

The charge depends on the alleged act, how it allegedly took place, and everyone’s age.

Sexual Assault (First, Second, and Third Degree)

• First degree (W.S. 6-2-302): Sexual intrusion through force, threats, or against someone who is physically helpless. Sentence: 5 to 50 years in prison.
• Second degree (W.S. 6-2-303): Includes abusing a position of authority. Sentence: 2 to 20 years.
• Third degree (W.S. 6-2-304): Sexual contact without intrusion. Sentence up to 15 years.
• Under W.S. 6-2-306, repeat offenders face 25 years to life. Two or more qualifying prior convictions mean life without parole.

Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Statutory Rape

The age of consent in Wyoming is 16. Charges under W.S. 6-2-314 through 6-2-317 depend on both people’s ages and the gap between them. First-degree sexual abuse of a minor can carry up to 50 years, and a mandatory sentence of 25 to 50 if the accused is 21 years or older and the child is under 13 years old. 

Sex Offender Registration in Wyoming: What Triggers It and What It Means

Which Convictions Require Registration

Wyoming does not use tier I, II and III risk levels. Registration is based on offenses. If a conviction appears on the list under W.S. 7-19-302, registration will follow. The judge does not get a vote.

How Long Registration Lasts

For life, by default, under W.S. 7-19-304, the offense sets how often you are required to report: once a year, every six months, or every three months. People in the lowest category can petition for relief after 10 years, while those in the middle category wait 25 years. The most serious offenses have no chance of being pardoned.

What Is Posted Publicly

The DCI public registry shows your name, address, employer, vehicle, and photograph. Missing the reporting deadline is a felony under W.S. 7-19-307, punishable by up to 5 years.

How Sex Crime Cases Move Through Campbell County Courts

Campbell County sits in the Sixth Judicial District of Wyoming. Both courts are located at 500 S. Gillette Avenue. The felony trial process runs in two stages.

Initial Appearance and Bond Conditions

The case opens in Campbell County Circuit Court. Do not expect contact with the accused, contact with minors or electronic monitoring. A single violation can send you back to jail.

Preliminary Hearing in Circuit Court

The judge decides only whether there is probable cause. That bar is low. Still, it’s the first chance to question an investigating officer under oath and record their account.

District Court Arraignment and Pre-Trial

Once bound over, the case moves to District Court for arraignment, discovery, and motions. The rape shield law (W.S. 6-2-312) controls whether the accuser’s sexual history is disclosed. That fight happens here.

Trial and Sentencing

Wyoming does not require corroboration. Under W.S. 6-2-311, the accuser’s testimony alone can support a conviction. That’s a real advantage for the State. Appeals go straight to the Wyoming Supreme Court. There is no intermediate appeals court.