CASPER, Wyo. — The U.S. Justice Department released a roundup of recent sentencing hearings for criminal cases in the District of Wyoming. Below is the information provided in the release.
Child Sexual Abuse Materials
Gregory James Griffin, 31, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment for a repeat conviction of subsequent-offense possession of child pornography. Griffin was indicted on May 16 and pleaded guilty on July 16. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Oct. 8 in Casper.
According to court documents, in September 2023, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force began receiving CyberTips involving a phone number belonging to Griffin. A search warrant resulted in the seizure of the defendant’s phone identified during the investigation. Over 60 files of child pornography were located on his phone.
Griffin had a previous conviction for possession of child pornography out of California in 2010 and is a registered sex offender in the state of Wyoming. The crime was investigated by the DCI-ICAC Task Force, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold.
Drug Trafficking
James P. Graham, 64, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents, on Dec. 17, 2023, the Wyoming Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop on Graham, who had a warrant for his arrest. The trooper deployed his K-9 partner on Graham’s vehicle, and the dog obtained a positive alert.
Graham had over 165 grams of methamphetamine, packaging and drug paraphernalia, the release said. A forensic download of Graham’s phone indicated he was a source of supply for methamphetamine. Graham pleaded guilty on July 9 and was sentenced Oct. 1 by U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin in Cheyenne.
The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and WHP investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Forwood prosecuted the case.
36-year-old Robert Allen Yetsick, aka Ryan Kelp, a transient, was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, the release said.
Cheyenne police were dispatched to the Days Inn for a welfare check, during which they found the defendant unresponsive in his room. Upon entering, Cheyenne Fire Rescue found hypodermic needles, a plastic bag containing approximately 45 grams of methamphetamine, a plastic container containing 3.41 grams of heroin and a small amount of marijuana. After a search of Yetsick’s phone, officers found messages requesting a quarter-pound of methamphetamine from him and wanting to trade pills for methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Cheyenne Police Department. Yetsick pleaded guilty on July 15 and was sentenced Oct. 3 by U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin in Cheyenne. The case was prosecuted by Timothy J. Forwood.
Sundance resident Preston James Castor, 23, was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on Feb. 15, the Riverton Police Department pulled over Castor for drifting over the fog line in his vehicle. Dispatch advised that Castor had an active fugitive warrant out of South Dakota.
He was placed under arrest and a subsequent search of his vehicle conducted by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation recovered 3.5 kilograms of cocaine, 20.8 kilograms of methamphetamine, a money counter, a small number of unknown pills and $1,600.00 in U.S. currency, the release said.
Castor was indicted on May 20 and pleaded guilty on July 19. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Oct. 4, in Cheyenne. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, DCI and RPD and prosecuted by Timothy J. Forwood.
Colorado resident and Torrington native Quinton James Fisher, 21, was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on March 18, a special agent with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation received a tip that Fisher was selling drugs out of a hotel room in Evansville. Fisher had been on their radar for some time. A search of Fisher’s room yielded approximately 2.6 pounds of methamphetamine, 2,730 fentanyl pills, smaller amounts of crack cocaine and psilocybin mushrooms, drug packaging and scales, $4,500 in U.S. currency, three semi-automatic rifles and one semi-automatic handgun.
DCI and the Casper Police Department investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. Fisher waived indictment and pleaded guilty on July 1. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Oct. 3 in Casper.
Firearm Offenses
Andrew Lee Kirkendall, 46, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Sept. 5, 2023, the Cheyenne Police Department was dispatched to the American Legion Post 6 for reports of shots fired. Witnesses pointed to the defendant but when an officer tried to approach Kirkendall, he ran away. A foot pursuit with additional CPD officers and the Wyoming Highway Patrol ensued.
Multiple citizens called into dispatch detailing the defendant’s location and that he was brandishing his firearm at citizens on the street. Officers caught up with Kirkendall and deployed a Taser to immobilize him, the release said. They found a loaded Ruger SR9C 9mm caliber pistol on his person. Kirkendall, a convicted felon, is unable to legally possess a firearm.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the CPD and the WHP. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer. Kirkendall was indicted on Nov. 15, 2023, and pleaded guilty on July 12. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on Oct. 3 in Casper.
Escape from Custody
Anthony James Kelley, 33, of Gillette, Wyoming, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison for escaping from custody. According to court documents, on March 11, Kelley walked out of the Volunteers of America Reentry Center in Gillette, where he was serving a custodial sentence.
“Kelley knew that if he left the facility without authorization, he would be charged with escape,” the U.S. Justice Department said. On March 15, The Evansville Police Department was dispatched to the C’mon Inn in Evansville for a suspicious person. An officer located Kelley and took him into custody. The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Office and was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Mackenzie Morrison.
Kelley was indicted on May 16 and pleaded guilty on July 16. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Oct. 8 in Casper.
Illegal Reentry of a Previously Deported Alien
Tulio Arnulfo Garcia-Salazar, 42, of Morales, Izabel, Guatemala, was sentenced to time served for illegal entry into the United States. According to court documents, on March 19, 2024, Garcia-Salazar was arrested by the Rock Springs Police Department for driving under the influence of alcohol, hit-and-run, failure to maintain a lane of travel and lacking insurance. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was contacted.
A deportation officer processed the defendant and obtained fingerprints, which matched preexisting fingerprints in their database, indicating Garcia-Salazar was in the U.S. illegally and had not applied for permission to reenter the U.S. after being formally removed in May 2018.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Sept. 30.
