Child Pornography
Sabin Francis Donohoe, 26, of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment for possession of child pornography. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Jun. 13. According to court documents, the defendant was a seasonal employee for a concessionaire in Yellowstone National Park in 2019. In August of 2019, he and his girlfriend visited the Fort Collins, Colorado area for a weekend where Donohoe lost his phone. Someone found the phone and saw child pornography on it while trying to identity the owner. They handed it over to the Loveland Police Department. The Loveland Police Department secured a search warrant and saw evidence of child pornography and a text message to call a number if the phone was found. The number belonged to Donohoe’s girlfriend. She identified him as the phone’s owner and gave the officer, who concealed his identity at the time, their address in Yellowstone. Officers from Loveland Police Department then contacted the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch, and a joint investigation was initiated. Detectives conducted a non-custodial interview of Donohoe. The next day he fled to Canada. He was eventually arrested in Canada on Jul. 25, 2022, and extradited back to the U.S. on Nov. 27, 2023 to face charges. This crime was investigated by the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch, the Loveland Police Department, and Yellowstone law enforcement officers. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christyne M. Martens.
David Robert Land, 34, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 97 months’ imprisonment for access with intent to view child pornography. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Jun. 12. According to court documents, a Cybertip was sent to the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) regarding an IP address and an email address that was downloading pre/early pubescent pornographic images. The investigation led officers to Land, who is a registered sex offender. Investigators found numerous images of child sexual abuse material on Land’s phone. He pleaded guilty to the sole count of the indictment on Jan. 16. This crime was investigated by DCI and the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christyne M. Martens.
Violent Crime
Coal Donavan Weed, 34, of Ethete, Wyoming, was sentenced to 31 months’ imprisonment for involuntary manslaughter with three years of supervised release. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Jun. 12. According to court documents, on Aug. 20, 2022, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents were called to the scene of a fatal vehicle crash in Fort Washakie, located on the Wind River Indian Reservation. The victim, a passenger, was pronounced dead at the scene and Weed, the driver, was taken to the hospital. Weed consented to a blood draw that resulted in a blood alcohol concentration of .216%. Weed pleaded guilty to the manslaughter charge on Mar. 4. This crime was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist.
Leo Ernest Barnaby, Jr, 46, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, was sentenced to time served, which at the time of sentencing was 13 months and 11 days in custody, and two years of supervised release for threatening a federal law enforcement officer. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Jun. 11. According to court documents, on Apr. 29, 2023, special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation went to Barnaby’s house seeking additional information regarding a shooting that occurred the previous night. Barnaby wanted to take them to the location, but the agents did not want him to return to the scene. He became agitated and threated to kill the agents several times saying he had guns in the house and would use them. Unable to diffuse the situation, the agents left and obtained an arrest warrant. The FBI’s Colorado SWAT team was deployed to make the arrest, along with local law enforcement. Barnaby was taken into custody without incident. He pleaded guilty on Mar. 27. This crime was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist.
Drug Trafficking
Lane Scott Huntington, 43, of Bar Nunn, Wyoming, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison on two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, in Aug. 2023, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation was conducting a controlled purchase from a group of suspected drug dealers in Casper. After purchasing drugs from Huntington on Aug. 11., 2023, agents alerted the Wyoming Highway Patrol who conducted a traffic stop. At the same time, they requested a search warrant for his residence. They seized 30 fentanyl pills during the traffic stop and nearly 2,000 fentanyl pills in his residence. On Sept. 13, they conducted another search on his residence and seized another 680 fentanyl pills. Huntington was interviewed and admitted to being a drug dealer. He pleaded guilty on Mar. 24. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Jun 14. The crime was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and the case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ava Covert.
Illegal Re-entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Luis Juarez-Gavito, 28, of Cordoba, Veracruz, Mexico was sentenced to time served plus 10 days to allow for deportation proceedings, for illegal entry into the United States. According to court documents, on Feb. 5, Juarez-Gavito was arrested by the Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) for driving while under the influence. He was booked into Platte County Jail. A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation Officer processed the defendant and obtained his fingerprints. They matched pre-existing fingerprints in their database indicating he had previously been deported. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence on Jun 13.
About the United States Attorney’s Office
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:
Environmental Justice
The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
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.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that 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#trafficking
