Violent Crimes Defense

Wyoming Aggravated Assault Defense Attorney

Facing an aggravated assault charge in Wyoming is a heavy burden. We’re talking about a felony that can carry up to ten years in state prison.

But here’s the thing: the difference between a small fight (simple assault) and a serious crime (aggravated assault) that could change your life is often smaller than you think. It usually comes down to “disputed facts,” and that’s where a dedicated defense team shines.

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    Home » Criminal Defense » Violent Crimes » Aggravated Assault

    What Makes an Assault “Aggravated” in Wyoming?

    According to Wyo. Stat. § 6-2-502, aggravated assault is when someone hurts or tries to hurt someone else seriously, with or without a weapon, threatens serious bodily harm in a way that makes the other person afraid, or strangles a family member. The presence of a weapon, the severity of injury alleged, or the nature of the conduct elevates a charge from the misdemeanor assault category into aggravated assault – a felony.

    The difference between simple assault and aggravated assault isn’t always clear from the facts. It is possible to argue about whether an object is a deadly weapon, whether the injury is “serious bodily injury” as defined by law, and whether the threat caused reasonable fear. In every aggravated assault case, these are the first places we look.

    Penalties for Aggravated Assault in Wyoming

    In Wyoming, aggravated assault is a felony that can get you up to ten years in state prison. A conviction also means that you will always have a felony record, you will lose the right to own guns under federal law, and you will face serious problems with getting a job or getting a professional license. When aggravated assault happens in a domestic relationship, there are more charges and consequences.

    Felony ExposureRecordGun RightsDomestic Add-on
    Up to 10 yearsPermanent FelonyFederal ProhibitionEnhanced Charges

    How We Defend Aggravated Assault Charges in Wyoming

    We look at every aggravated assault case to see if it was done in self-defense, to protect someone else, if the serious bodily injury element is strong enough, if the weapon description is correct, and if the person who filed the complaint is believable. Just Criminal Law has won assault cases in Wyoming, like State v. Davis: Not Guilty. Van Horn v. State: Not Guilty. When the facts back it up, we take these cases to court.

    Related Charges We Also Defend

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    Aggravated Assault Serious injury, a weapon, or strangulation elevates charges to felony territory.
    Battery Physical contact that causes injury — often charged alongside assault.
    Domestic Violence When assault involves a household member, additional charges and consequences follow.
    Strangulation Wyoming treats strangulation as a separate felony — even without visible injury.
    Violent Crimes See all violent crime charges we defend in Wyoming.
    Self-Defense We build and argue self-defense claims at every stage of your case.

    Why Clients in Wyoming and South Dakota Choose Just Criminal Law

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    Former Prosecutors on Your Side

    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.

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    Criminal Defense Is All We Do

    We do not split our focus between practice areas. Every attorney, every resource, every minute is focused on one thing: your criminal defense.

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    Local Knowledge That Matters

    We know the courts, the judges, and the prosecutors across Wyoming and western South Dakota. Local familiarity shapes strategy and strategy shapes outcomes.

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    Spanish Language Services Available

    Servicios de traduccion en espanol disponibles. Every client fully understands their case, their options, and their rights.

    25+ Years of Success

    Real Results for Wyoming & South Dakota Clients

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      Other
      Suppression Appeal — Wyoming Supreme Court

      District Court denied motion to suppress. Wyoming Supreme Court accepted certiorari on appeal.

      Barney v. State of Wyoming — Wyoming Supreme Court

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      CASE DISMISSED
      Reckless 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

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      CASE DISMISSED
      DUI / DWUI — Wyoming

      Client charged with DUI. State unable to lay foundation for the breath test. Case dismissed.

      State v. Von Olnhausen — Wyoming Circuit Court

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      CASE DISMISSED
      Felony 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

    See All Case Results
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    Charged with a crime in Wyoming? Time is critical.

    The sooner you have an attorney, the more options you have.

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    Frequently asked questions about aggravated assault in Wyoming

    Under Wyo. Stat. § 6-2-501, simple assault is trying to hurt someone or threatening to do so. It is usually a misdemeanor that can lead to six months in jail. Under § 6-2-502, aggravated assault is always a felony that can result in up to ten years in prison. It involves serious bodily harm, a deadly weapon, or strangulation. The difference between the two is often based on facts that are in dispute, such as how bad the injury was or if a weapon was present.

    Yes. In Wyoming, self-defense is one of the best ways to defend against aggravated assault. You are legally allowed to use force, even deadly force, if you have a good reason to believe that it is necessary to protect yourself or someone else from serious harm that is about to happen. You don’t have to back down before using force to protect yourself in Wyoming. In every aggravated assault case we take, we look at self-defense.

    Wyoming law says that a deadly weapon is any object that is used or could be used in a way that could kill someone or hurt them badly. Firearms and knives are clear examples, but courts have found other things to be weapons based on how they were used. We carefully look at whether an object fits the definition in your case.

    Previous convictions, especially those for violent crimes, have a big impact on how the prosecution charges the case, how much bail is set, and what sentences they ask for. The habitual offender law in Wyoming lets judges give harsher sentences to people who break the law more than once. One reason we stress getting a lawyer involved early is so that the prosecution doesn’t finish making charging decisions.

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    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.

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    Wyoming
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    South Dakota
    Attending the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally?

    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.

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    Charged with DUI in Wyoming?

    Call before you plead. The 20-day license hearing window is already running.

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