News briefs from around the state of Wyoming

Officer put on leave until investigation completed

CODY (WNE) — Cody Police Officer Blake Stinson has been put on paid administrative leave, pending the investigation into his conduct during an arrest of a 17-year-old juvenile in January.

“An officer of the City of Cody Police Department has been placed on paid administrative leave following the receipt of the formal complaint from a member of the public and review of available material supporting the complaint,” a Cody Police Department press release said. “This necessary step has been taken while the internal investigation is on-going and finalized regarding the matter.”

A YouTube video produced by the LackLuster channel that compiled Stinson’s body camera and dash camera footage was published May 21. It called into question Stinson’s conduct during the arrest.

According to the press release, the City of Cody and CPD will provide updates on the progress and findings of the internal investigation “as appropriate and within the bounds of confidentiality requirements per Wyoming statute.”

“The City of Cody and the Cody Police Department acknowledges its commitment to maintaining transparency, accountability and the highest standards of public trust in law enforcement,” the release said. “We remain steadfast in our dedication to serving our community with professionalism, integrity and the highest standards of public service.”

“The City of Cody thanks its residents for their continued support, cooperation and trust,” the release continued. 

Any resident wishing to provide comments or information pertinent to the investigation can call (307) 527-8709 or email submitcomments@codywy.gov.

—

Gillette woman’s prison sentence commuted

GILLETTE (WNE) — The prison sentence of a Gillette woman convicted of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from a homeowners association in the early 2000s has been reduced to time served, making her eligible for release.

Julie A. Jacobsen, 70, had her sentence commuted April 5 and was transferred to the Scotts Bluff County Detention Center in Nebraska after serving just more than 12 years in the Wyoming Women’s Center in Lusk.

In 2011, Jacobsen was sentenced in Campbell County District Court to up to 60 years in prison for 10 felony counts of embezzlement and forgery. She was further ordered to pay $400,000 in restitution to the Fox Park Homeowners Association, for which she had been a bookkeeper.

Gov. Mark Gordon agreed with a parole board recommendation to change Jacobsen’s six sentences of six to 10 years from consecutive to concurrent. 

That effectively cut her overall sentence from 36 to 60 years down to six to 10 years.

This week, Jacobsen requested compassionate release for separate federal prison time she has remaining.

She was sentenced in 2006 to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release for falsifying her federal income tax return in 2002, in which she claimed no taxable income despite more $108,000 in income being found, according to court documents.

She was also ordered to pay almost $167,000 in restitution to the IRS.

At the time of her District Court trial, prosecutors said Jacobsen, formerly by the name of Deliramich, used Fox Park accounts to funnel thousands of dollars to herself and her husband and daughter.

She had obtained unauthorized loans by forging signatures of those who served on the HOA board of directors.

—----

This story was published on May 30, 2023. 

—----

Wyoming Families For Freedom to host town hall on book bans

CHEYENNE (WNE) — Book banning has come to Laramie County, and a small, but vocal group wants to change the Laramie County School District 1 policies around obtaining and distributing books. Using lists from out-of-state organizations, more than 100 books have been targeted so far to be removed or restricted in school libraries, according to a news release from Wyoming Families for Freedom.

The organization, which is a coalition of citizens advocating for educators, books and the First Amendment, will host a town hall from 6:30 to 8 p.m.Tuesday at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Cheyenne, 3005 Thomes Ave., to inform the public about what is happening in Laramie County and how the community can get involved.

Among targeted books, nearly 40% feature LGBTQ+ stories or authors, while 32% feature minority stories or authors, the release said.

“Students need access to books featuring a wide diversity of the human experience ... Banning or restricting books is not a Wyoming value. We don’t want the government telling students what they can read, especially when there is already a policy in place for parents who wish to restrict access to books for their own children,”group member Marcie Kindred said in the release.

The town hall comes ahead of the June 5 Board of Trustees meeting. Information about the proposal to change library policies is expected to be introduced, as well as a potential attempt to define what “sexually explicit”means in the context of books.This action was ordered by members of the local school board during a February work session.