Prison Sentence for Sheridan Man Convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor

A Sheridan man will spend a significant amount of time in prison for sexually abusing a minor. At a change of plea hearing July 9 in Fourth Judicial District Court, Ross Nutter, pursuent to the terms of a plea agreement reached with the State, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual abuse of a minor in the second degree and one count of sexual abuse of a minor in the third degree. The State’s recommendation was a sentence of 8 to 18  years in prison for each of the two second degree charges, and 8 to 15 years on the third degree charge, and to run the sentences concurrent to one another.

At sentencing Thursday, District Court Judge Darci Philips, citing Nutter’s repeated predatory behavior, elected to not accept the State’s sentencing recommendation.  According to the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation sex offender registry, Nutter is a registered sex offender in Sheridan County for a previous conviction of sexual abuse of a minor in the third degree.

Judge Phillips sentenced Nutter to 12 to 20 years in prison for each of the two second degree charges and 8 to 15 years for the third degree charge. The sentences will run concurrent to one another. Nutter was ordered by the Court to pay $725 in court costs and assessments and was awarded credit for 233 days time served of presentence confinement. All of the crimes occurred between December 2025 and February 2026 when Nutter was 30 years of age and the victim was 15.