Sheridan Man Sentenced to Prison for Theft

A sentencing hearing was held Thursday in Fourth Judicial District Court for a 27-year-old Sheridan man charged with multiple crimes. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

On September 20, 2023, dispatch received a report of a known stolen vehicle in the drive-through line at Taco Bell on Coffeen Avenue in Sheridan. When an officer with the Sheridan Police Department arrived on scene, the suspect, 27-year-old Antonio Hughes of Sheridan, was in the Walmart parking lot. After being contacted by law enforcement, Hughes fled in the stolen 2017 Chevy Silverado, evading police through the parking lot before coming to a stop and exiting the vehicle in the Ramada parking lot. Hughes attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended and placed under arrest by officers after a nearby citizen tackled him while he was attempting to flee the scene. Hughes was charged with multiple crimes related to the vehicle theft and the short pursuit. 

Hughes was sentenced for the crimes at a hearing Thursday. District Court Judge Darci Phillips accepted the terms of the plea agreement that was reached with the State and sentenced Hughes to 3 to 5 years in prison for each of two counts of felony theft, 120 in jail for misdemeanor interference with a peace officer, and 90 days in jail for misdemeanor unlawful contact.  All of the sentences will run concurrent to one another, which means Hughes will serve 3 to 5 years in a correctional facility to be determined by the Wyoming Department of Corrections. 

He was given 198 days credit for time served of presentence confinement and ordered to pay $825 in court costs and assessments. Judge Phillips ruled that Hughes doesn’t have to pay the $1,500 in restitution requested by the victim due to his inability to make payments because of the prison term.

Other news from District Court:

A 34-year-old Sheridan man charged with aggravated assault and battery was arraigned Thursday in District Court. Brice Graves pleaded not guilty to the charge at the hearing and District Court Judge Darci Phillips scheduled a two-day jury trial to begin on Monday, August 19. A pretrial conference will take place Thursday, July 18 at 9 am. Graves’ bond was continued under the same terms and conditions that were previously set in Circuit Court. The charge of aggravated assault and battery is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

According to court documents, Graves was charged with the alleged crime for attempting to stab another individual multiple times with a knife on March 10 in an apartment at 1410 North Main Street in Sheridan. The alleged victim was able to flee the apartment and report the crime. Graves was located by the Sheridan Police Department at the North Main apartment and was placed under arrest and later booked into the Sheridan County Detention Center.

Colorado Man Sentenced for Endangering Children

A 25-year-old Colorado man received a split-sentence for the charge of endangering children. Victor Valdez was charged with the crime for being in possession of methamphetamine with a child present in the home. According to court documents, on October 12, 2023, officers with the Sheridan Police Department went to an apartment on Long Drive as part of an investigation into the whereabouts of a runaway. Valdez and his brother were living in the apartment. After law enforcement arrived, it was determined that the runaway was not present, however, a strong odor of marijuana was coming from the apartment. A subsequent search of the apartment led to the seizure of methamphetamine that belonged to Valdez. A child was present in the apartment when the drugs were seized, resulting in the endangering children charge.

At the hearing Thursday, Judge Darci Phillips accepted the terms of the plea agreement reached with the State and sentenced Valdez to 2 to 4 years in prison for the endangering children charge, suspended in lieu of a split-sentence of 191 days in jail and three years of supervised probation. Valdez was given credit for 191 days of time served for presentence confinement and was ordered to pay $325 in court costs and assessments and $500 in public defender fees.