District Court News

A 40-year-old Sheridan man was arraigned on a number of drug related charges Thursday in Fourth Judicial District Court. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

On August 22, 2024, Ryan Cooper was arrested and charged with seven crimes related to alleged drug distribution and possession. Cooper, at Thursday’s hearing, pleaded not guilty to two counts of felony endangering children for possessing and storing methamphetamine where children were present; one count of felony possession with intent to deliver – methamphetamine; one count of felony possession of crack/cocaine; one count of misdemeanor possession of cocaine; one count of misdemeanor possession of marijuana, and one count of misdemeanor possession of psilocybin. The arrest and subsequent charges were the result of an investigation by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.

District Court Judge Darci Phillips scheduled a three-day jury trial to begin on Monday, March 17, 2025. A pretrial conference will take place on February 20 at 9:30 am. Judge Phillips approved a request to modify Cooper’s bond so that he can leave the state and travel to Billings for medical treatment. If convicted on all seven counts, Cooper faces up to 40 years in prison and fines of up to $53,000.

Also from District Court:

An arraignment hearing was held Thursday for 18-year-old Kadin Koch. At the hearing, Koch pleaded not guilty to the charge of felony burglary. District Court Judge Darci Phillips scheduled a three-day jury trial to begin March 3, 2025. A pretrial conference will take place February 6 at 10:30 am in District Court. A request to modify Koch’s bond from a $30,000 cash only bond to a $5,000 cash or surety bond was denied by the Court due to Koch’s pending case in Washakie County.

According to court documents, Koch, along with three other individuals, allegedly broke into the Big Horn Y during the early morning hours of June 17, 2024, and stole various forms of alcohol from the establishment. Snapchat messages between Koch and the three other co-defendants played a pivotal role in the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office investigation and the eventual arrests of Koch and the three co-defendants in July. Felony burglary is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.