Sheridan Woman Sentenced for Breaking into Cabin

A Sheridan woman was sentenced to jail at a hearing Tuesday in Fourth Judicial District Court for breaking into a cabin in the Bighorns last summer. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

On July 11, 2025, Catherine Alden was arrested by the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office for breaking into a cabin on Sand Coulee Road in the Bighorn Mountains. Alden was initially charged with burglary, however, two weeks ago she pleaded guilty to an amended charge of misdemeanor theft and one count of misdemeanor criminal trespass.

At sentencing Tuesday, District Court Judge Darci Phillips accepted the terms of the plea agreement reached between the defendant and the State, and sentenced Alden to 45 days in jail on each charge and to run the sentences consecutively. Alden was given 13 days credit for time served of presentence confinement, which will apply only to the 45 day jail sentence for the theft charge.

Judge Phillips ordered Alden to pay $350 in court costs and assessments, $105 in restitution to the victim and $200 in Public Defender fees, all of which must be paid in full by October 14. Failure to pay by that date may result in contempt proceedings against Alden.

Alden was taken into custody and booked into the Sheridan County Detention Center to serve 32 days, after which she will be released for a period of two weeks and then be required to check back into the Detention Center to serve the 45 days for the criminal trespass conviction.