Activity in the U.S. Attorney's Office

Assault

Dustin Vance Big Medicine, Jr, 24, of Riverton, Wyoming, was sentenced to four months and 11 days imprisonment with three years of supervised release for assaulting a federal officer. According to court documents, on June 4, 2025, a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) officer was dispatched to tribal housing on the Wind River Reservation for a report of the defendant being violent towards emergency medical services employees. The officer arrested the defendant, and while the officer was walking the defendant to the patrol car, he gathered saliva in his mouth and then spat saliva on the officer's ear and face. The BIA investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson prosecuted the case. Big Medicine was indicted on Sept. 16, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Dec. 10, 2025. Chief U.S. District Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Feb. 18, 2026, in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00134

Owen Thunder Kennedy, 25, of Farmington, New Mexico, was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment with one year of supervised release for assault by striking, beating, or wounding. According to court documents, the defendant and the victim in the case were seasonal workers at Yellowstone National Park in the Old Faithful area. On the night of Sept. 15, 2021, while the defendant was visibly intoxicated, he forcibly shoved his hand under the victim's shorts and grabbed her genitalia hard enough to cause the victim pain. Yellowstone National Park Law Enforcement investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson prosecuted the case. The defendant was indicted on Sept. 16, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Dec. 5, 2025. Chief United States District Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Feb. 20, 2026, in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00133

Drug Trafficking

Christine Holly Jensen, 55, from Fort Lupton, Colorado, was sentenced to 168 months' imprisonment with four years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation was investigating Gerald White, of Medicine Bow, Wyoming (Case No. 25-00057) on drug trafficking charges. The investigation showed that on February 2, 2025, White drove to the defendant's home in Fort Lupton, Colorado. Upon his return to Wyoming, officers stopped him and found approximately 670.4 grams (about 1.5 pounds) of methamphetamine in his truck. On October 9, 2025, the defendant was arrested at her home in Fort Lupton. She admitted to selling methamphetamine to White since 2023. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration and Albany County Sheriff's Office investigated the crime. Jensen was indicted on Sept. 16, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Dec. 19, 2025. Chief U.S. District Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Feb. 17 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00127

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