Woman found not guilty by reason of mental illness, committed to state hospital
SHERIDAN — Mary Ann Herden, 57, appeared before 4th Judicial District Court Judge William Edelman Thursday and pleaded not guilty by reason of mental illness or deficiency to one criminal charge. As a result of the plea, the defendant was committed to the state hospital for treatment.
Herden was initially charged with attempted aggravated robbery for attempting to steal cigarettes from Buckhorn Travel Plaza using a drawn knife in December 2021. The charge is a felony punishable by between five and 25 years in prison, a $10,000 fine or both.
Herden pleaded not guilty by reason of mental illness or deficiency and a psychological evaluation was ordered Dec. 22, 2022.
During a March 17 hearing in her case, however, Herden was unable to appear. Herden’s attorney Jordan Camino explained her client was unable to appear because she was in a Gillette hospital, after walking out of a care facility and going missing for two days. Edelman agreed to impose a bench warrant for Herden to ensure her safe return to Sheridan County.
At Herden’s hearing Thursday, both parties requested Edelman find the defendant not guilty by reason of mental illness or deficiency pursuant to the psychological evaluation. The defendant’s mental illness posed a substantial risk to herself and others, Deputy Sheridan County and Prosecuting Attorney Christina White said.
Edelman entered the not guilty by reason of mental illness or deficiency plea and committed Herden to the Wyoming State Hospital with periodic review of Herden’s case, including a status hearing in about 90 days.
“This isn’t an indefinite sentence,” Edelman told the defendant. “The facility will examine you [and] conduct a number of tests.”
Camino expressed concern the state hospital, which currently operates with a lengthy waitlist, may not be able to receive Herden in a timely manner. Edelman said he hoped his order requiring an update from the hospital within 90 days would be sufficient to ensure her place there as soon as possible.
Man pleads guilty to unlawful dissemination of intimate images
SHERIDAN — Aaron Hanson, 21, pleaded guilty to unlawful dissemination of intimate images in a change of plea hearing before 4th Judicial District Court Judge William Edelman Thursday.
The charge is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail, a fine of $5,000 or both. Hanson admitted to sharing intimate images, and Edelman accepted the defendant’s guilty plea.
Deputy Sheridan County and Prosecuting Attorney Christina White recommended a deferred sentence of one to three years of probation in exchange for Hanson’s guilty plea. In cases of deferred prosecution, youthful defendants have the opportunity to avoid a conviction on their record by successfully completing probation.
Edelman explained it will be up to the sentencing judge — which in this case will likely be Darci Phillips, whose judgeship in the 4th Judicial District Court begins Monday — to determine whether Hanson is eligible for deferred prosecution.
Man pleads guilty to seventh drug possession charge
SHERIDAN — Scott Ragsdale, 42, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine before 4th Judicial District Court Judge William Edelman Thursday.
Ragsdale has six previous possession convictions — spanning from Sheridan County to Utah — in the past 25 years. These prior convictions transformed a possession charge that would normally be a misdemeanor into a felony; the third or greater misdemeanor possession offense in Wyoming is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison, a $5,000 fine or both.
“I’ve been struggling, trying to stay clean,” the defendant explained.
In exchange for Ragsdale’s plea of guilty to the charge, Deputy Sheridan County and Prosecuting Attorney Christopher LaRosa will recommend a sentence of two to four years in prison, suspended for three years supervised probation.
Edelman accepted Ragsdale’s guilty plea and ordered a presentence investigation. The defendant’s sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
Woman pleads guilty to child endangerment, possession charges
SHERIDAN — In a change of plea hearing before 4th Judicial District Court Judge William Edelman Thursday, Lindsay Aman, 37, pleaded guilty to two counts.
Pursuant to a plea agreement, Aman pleaded guilty to one count of drug possession, a felony because it was Aman’s third possession conviction punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine of $5,000 or both, and one count of child endangerment, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail, a $1,000 fine or both. Before Edelman, Aman admitted to keeping meth in the house where a child in her care lived.
In exchange for Aman’s pleas, the state agreed to recommend any potential prison time be suspended for three years supervised probation.
Edelman accepted Aman’s guilty pleas and ordered a presentence investigation. The defendant’s sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
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April 02, 2022
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