Little sentenced to 30 months

On Aug. 22, 43-year-old Jason A. Little of Meeteetse was sentenced to 30 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release, for unlawful use of a controlled substance, in possession of a firearm.

Little was arrested in Thermopolis after a chase on Feb. 24. Police Chief Julie Mathews received information that Little was suicidal, heavily armed and wearing body armor.

Officer Bobbi Byrd was among the officers also notified Little could be in the area, and later found out he had stopped at a residence and said some bad things were about to happen.

Byrd saw the truck Little was driving with its flashers on, eastbound and speeding, and advised dispatch and the other responding officers, then turned around on the truck.

In her pursuit, she observed the vehicle turn, though when she turned onto the same street there was no sign of it.

Mathews had pulled it over when Byrd arrived on scene at Sixth and Arapahoe. The speed of the truck was not known when it came into town, though it did slow down while turning in the residential area.

Mathews and Byrd exited their vehicles with weapons drawn, as this was an extreme situation and they knew Little had a ballistic vest and was heavily armed.

Little jumped out of the vehicle wearing the bulletproof vest and Mathews commanded him to put his hands up, turn around facing away, back up to her and get on his knees, to all of which Little complied.

Byrd arrested Little along with Officer Ken Smith, who had also responded to the scene. Smith checked Little for weapons, though located in the truck were a significant amount of firearms — as well as ammunition and loaded clips — including an M1, a .233, a .45 Kimber and a Mossberg shotgun.

Little was transported to the hospital, where a blood draw indicated he had meth and alcohol in his system.