Wyoming’s Age of Consent and How It Works
Wyoming’s age of consent is 16 years old. Even if the younger person seems to agree, sexual contact with someone under 16 can be charged as sexual assault. Wyoming does have a close-in-age exception, which is also known as a “Romeo and Juliet” provision. This exception protects some consensual relationships where the people involved are close in age. But this exception only applies to certain situations and doesn’t cover all relationships between people who are close in age.
When the defendant is in charge of the minor, like a teacher, coach, employer, parent, or guardian, they face a different and more serious charge. Sexual contact between an adult in a position of power and a minor carries harsher penalties, no matter how old the minor is or how much they seem to agree.
Penalties for Statutory Rape in Wyoming
In Wyoming, statutory rape can lead to up to twenty years in prison, depending on the ages of the people involved and the type of contact. You must register as a sex offender if you are found guilty. The length of time someone has to register depends on the crime. In the worst cases, they may have to register for life.
Penalty Grid
| Potential Sentence | Age of Consent | Authority Figure | Registration |
| Up to 20 years | 16 in Wyoming | Enhanced charge | Required |
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
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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
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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
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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
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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 statutory rape 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.
