All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
(Riverton, WY) – Fremont County resident Sean Winters, 42, faces three felony charges for theft taking, theft stealing, and property destruction/defacement, for an alleged incident occurring on July 27th.
Winters was reportedly caught on surveillance camera stealing a work truck from the premises of a Riverton business with a female companion, and was later found by law enforcement while they were attempting to spray paint the truck a different color.
Winters waived his preliminary hearing, and the case moved to District Court, with an arraignment date set for August 31st.
On July 27th, a Riverton Police Department (RPD) officer was dispatched to a local business for a report of a stolen vehicle.
Upon arrival, the RPD officer spoke with the reporting party who informed him that he called in the stolen vehicle moments after realizing it was no longer parked where he left it in front of the business.
The reporting party then informed the officer that he and the owner checked the business surveillance system.
The surveillance footage allegedly showed a male and female subject open the passenger side door, enter the vehicle and drive away.
After the officer viewed the footage, the vehicle was then signed off as stolen and entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database.
About two hours later, RPD was notified that the Wind River Police Department (WRPD) had located the vehicle off of Plunkett Road, and that a male and female were taken into custody.
The male was eventually identified as Winters, and the female was transported to the Wind River jail on unrelated charges.
WRPD also informed RPD that the truck had been partially spray painted black “as if there was an attempt to conceal the color.” One of the numbers on the license plate was also reportedly altered, along with the company logos on the rear window of the truck, which had been scraped off.
Upon inspection of the interior of the vehicle, officers found several cans of black spray paint, and a firearm that reportedly had fresh scratches on the serial number, “as if there was an attempt” to remove them.
After being confirmed as the individual in the surveillance footage, Winters was then detained.
The maximum penalty for each felony charge is a $10,000 fine and 10 years imprisonment.
Winters’ arraignment will be held August 31st.
County 10 will provide more information on the case as it progresses, which can be found here.