Conviction Entered in Sexual Abuse Case

An order to show cause hearing was held Tuesday in Fourth Judicial District Court for a man accused of violating terms of his probation. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

On March 17, 2020, 26-year-old Joshua Hannant, pursuant to terms of a plea agreement reached with the State, was sentenced to one-year in jail for the charge of misdemeanor sexual battery. As part of the plea deal, a deferred prosecution was entered into the record by the Court for a charge of sexual abuse in the third degree. Hannant was also placed on three years of supervised probation. A petition was filed by the State on February 2 to revoke his probation for a number of alleged violations. Sheridan County Attorney Dianna Bennett referred to a report filed by Hannant’s probation officer that detailed the violations, including a DUI he pleaded guilty to in Municipal Court in Mills, WY on January 31, being in bars in Mills, and leaving Johnson County without the permission of his supervising agent.

Hannant, at a hearing Tuesday in District Court, admitted to the State’s allegations that he’d violated the terms of his probation. A subsequent disposition hearing was held and District Court Judge Darci Phillips revoked Hannant’s probation and entered a conviction on the third degree sexual abuse charge and sentenced him to 3 to 5 years in prison, suspended in lieu of three years of supervised probation. Hannant must now register as a convicted sex offender and he will also have to have an un updated substance abuse evaluation and follow through with any recommendations from that evaluation.