Cheyenne man gets 10 years in federal prison for drug, firearm charges

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A Cheyenne man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison last week for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and for being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to court documents.

Benjamin Cisneros, 65, of Cheyenne, received a 120-month sentence from U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin in Cheyenne on April 15. Following his prison term, Cisneros will also serve five years of supervised release.

Court documents show that Cisneros was identified as a source of supply for illegal drugs in southeast Wyoming. On Nov. 12, 2024, law enforcement officers saw Cisneros parking his vehicle at the Horse Palace at Swan Ranch, located outside of Cheyenne.

After receiving permission, officers deployed a drug detection dog in the parking lot, which alerted to Cisneros’s vehicle. A subsequent search resulted in the seizure of about 111.6 grams of cocaine.

Later, a search warrant was executed at Cisneros’s Cheyenne residence. During that search, officers found an additional 27.3 grams of cocaine, over 500 grams of suspected methamphetamine, digital scales and packaging materials consistent with drug distribution.

Authorities also located a Heritage Rough Rider .22 caliber revolver in Cisneros’s bedroom. The firearm’s serial number had been removed. As a convicted felon, Cisneros is prohibited from possessing firearms.

The Cheyenne Police Department Community Action Team conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case.