Press Release
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's Office
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Wyoming
Recent Sentencings
Public Lands Violations
Yellowstone National Park
Alexander Villanueva, 37, of Las Vegas Nevada, pled guilty to reckless driving, failing to comply with a traffic control device, possessing an open container of alcohol in a vehicle, and refusing to submit to a test of his breath on January 14, 2025 in Mammoth, Wyoming. According to court documents, Villanueva was contacted by law enforcement officers after a park visitor reported him for an erratic driving pattern. After standard field sobriety testing indicated Mr. Villanueva was unsafe to operate a motor vehicle, he was arrested. After his arrest, Mr. Villanueva refused to submit to an official breath test. For refusing to submit to a breath test, Villanueva was sentenced to a seven-day term of incarceration with credit for two days previously served. He was also sentenced to pay a total of $1,020 in fines and court costs and placed on a two-year term of unsupervised probation, one of the terms prohibits him from entering Yellowstone National Park during the period of probation. Because he refused the official breath test, he may not operate a motor vehicle for one year on any federal land according to 18 U.S.C. 3118. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel C. Calmes prosecuted the case.
Drug Trafficking and Firearm Offenses
Phillip Brent Chiles, 61, of Riverton, Wyoming, was sentenced to three years’ probation with two months of home confinement for being a felon and unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on May 3, 2024, the Riverton Police Department found Chiles in possession of a .22 rifle. Chiles said he uses the rifle for hunting. He also admitted to using approximately 1 gram of methamphetamine a week and was trying to cut back. As a previously convicted felon, Chiles is unable to possess a firearm. Chiles was indicted on July 18, 2024, pleaded guilty on Oct. 9, 2024, and Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Jan. 16, in Casper. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and Riverton Police Department investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-CR-00121
Illegal Re-Entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Joel David Vazquez-Sanchez, 33, of Curaren, Francisco Morazan, Honduras, was sentenced to time served and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, on July 3, 2024, Vazquez-Sanchez was arrested by the Albany County Sheriff’s Office for driving while under the influence. The Albany County Wyoming Detention Center provided a booking sheet that indicated Vazquez-Sanchez was born in Honduras. Agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were contacted and determined that Vazquez-Sanchez had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in September 2016. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Jan. 16, Casper. Case No. 24-CR-00176
Contact
Lori Hogan (PIO Contractor)
United States Attorney’s Office
District of Wyoming
307-772-2995
usawy.pio@usdoj.gov
@usaowy
Updated January 21, 2025
Topics
Firearms Offenses
Immigration
Component