Activity in the U.S. Attorney's Office

George Ostertag, 38, of Rawlins, Wyoming, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment with three years of supervised release to follow for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Jan. 24, 2024, Ostertag was pulled over for a traffic violation. A K9 drug dog alerted to controlled substances in the car and a subsequent search uncovered a 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number wedged between the driver's seat and the center console. Prior to this incident, Ostertag was convicted of a felony and unable to legally possess a firearm. The Wyoming Highway Patrol and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. Ostertag was indicted on May 16, 2024, and pleaded guilty on June 17, 2025. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Sept. 9, in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00084

Drug and Firearm Offenses

Barry Joe Barrera, 41, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to 152 months' imprisonment with four years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and use of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) began investigating Barrera in December 2024 on suspicion of distributing methamphetamine. Throughout the investigation, agents made controlled purchases, including purchasing firearms and observed Barerra traveling to and from Colorado to replenish his supply of methamphetamine. On January 9, 2025, as Barrera and two others were returning from Colorado, the Wyoming Highway Patrol attempted a traffic stop in Converse County. The driver fled and a pursuit ensued. During the pursuit, someone tossed a bag of methamphetamine out the window, which law enforcement recovered. Wyoming DCI and the Department of Homeland Security investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie R. Morrison prosecuted the case. Barrera was arrested on complaint Feb. 27 and pleaded guilty on May 9. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Sept. 11 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00074

Illegal Re-Entry of a Previously Deported Alien

Juan Olvera-Venegas, 35, of Guanajuato, Mexico, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States upon completion of his sentence. According to court documents, on May 16, the defendant was arrested in Goshen County for possession of a controlled substance. Fingerprints taken at the time of detention indicated Olvera-Venegas is a citizen of Mexico and agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were contacted. They determined that Olvera-Venegas had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed multiple times beginning in 2013. The records also indicated a lengthy criminal record accompanying each deportation. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson prosecuted the case. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Sept. 11 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00097

About the United States Attorney's Office

The United States Attorney's Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:

Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.

Operation Take Back America
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

Victim Witness Program
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.

To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime