James Knightwolf was going to buy the Lai Thai restaurant.

Knightwolf was going to buy the Iris Movie Theater.

Knightwolf was going to buy the Casper Events Center.

He had investors.

He had plans to film a movie in Casper.

He had connections with local real estate agents, a credit union and two churches.

And he had a $1,709.81 bill from the Parkway Plaza after staying there with two other people for 19 days and not paying, all the while promising the hotel that he was in town to do some serious business but his credit card had been compromised.

Knightwolf, 46, was charged last week with one count of felony theft of services. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years imprisonment.

Natrona County Circuit Court Judge Steve Brown set Knightwolf's bond at $10,000.

According to the affidavit filed with the court, Knightwolf is from Monroe, Wash.

In mid-June, he picked up an old friend, Fred Eckelbarger, in California. Knightwolf told him he had investors, was going to start a restaurant business, and pay him $4,000 a month to help run the business and care for Knightwolf's mother.

They made their way to Casper. They checked in the Parkway Plaza where they and presumably Knightwolf's mother stayed until hotel staff became suspicious of the so-called investors who, like a valid credit card, never arrived.

Knighwolf refused to speak to officers without his attorney present, according to the affidavit.

Eckelbarger had problems of his own.

Police learned he was a registered sex offender in California, but had not registered in Wyoming, according to the affidavit. "Eckelbarger advised he did not know the sex offender laws in Wyoming, and was also under the impression that Knightwolf's attorney was taking care of his sex offender status."

Police charged him for failing to register as a sex offender. Judge Brown set his bond at $10,000.

Eckelbarger and Knightwolf will have their preliminary hearings in a couple of weeks to determine whether their cases should be bound over to Natrona County District Court for trial.

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