Joshua Charles Crook, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Wyoming 2023

CASPER, WY – Another Wyoming resident is headed to federal prison after a series of recent sentencings handed down by U.S. District Courts. The Grimy Times has been following the increase in federal prosecutions within the state, and these cases highlight the continued flow of illegal firearms and narcotics through the region.

On August 17, Joshua Charles Crook, 34, of Casper, Wyoming, received a 40-month sentence from U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Court records show that Crook, already with warrants outstanding, was apprehended at the Rodeway Inn Motel on December 17, 2022. A search of his room uncovered both drugs and the illegal firearm, which Crook admitted was his. He will also serve three years of supervised release and pay a $100 special assessment.

Just three days prior, on August 14, George Dean Jackson, 26, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to 44 months imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson for the same offense – being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jackson fled from law enforcement on December 20, 2022, but was quickly apprehended. A search of his vehicle revealed a short-barreled shotgun. He will also face three years of supervised release and pay a $100 special assessment. Both cases were jointly investigated by the Casper Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The sentences aren’t limited to gun crimes. Chaney Yates Jones, 39, of Glenrock, Wyoming, received a hefty 57-month sentence on August 17, imposed by Judge Alan B. Johnson, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Deputies with the Converse County Sheriff’s Department arrested Jones on May 12, 2022, finding approximately 26 grams of fentanyl, 32 grams of methamphetamine, over $2,000 in cash, and a loaded shotgun. He’ll also serve five years of supervised release and pay a $200 special assessment. The investigation was a joint effort between the Converse County Sheriff’s Department and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.

Beyond drugs and guns, Wyoming’s federal courts are also dealing with horrific crimes against children. Brian Joseph Nielsen, 38, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to a staggering 148 months in prison on August 17, by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl, for possession of child pornography – a second offense. Nielsen was previously convicted in 2010 and sentenced to 135 months. Despite being on lifetime supervised release since December 2019, a probation check on February 24 revealed two cell phones containing approximately 2,000 images of child pornography. He will face an additional 15 years of supervised release after completing his sentence.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan C. Coppom and Christyne Martens are prosecuting these cases, demonstrating the commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming to tackling serious crime within the state. The Grimy Times will continue to monitor these and other federal cases as they progress through the Wyoming court system, bringing you the unvarnished truth about crime in the Cowboy State.

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