K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For February 1st, 2018 – Evening

ONE MAN WAS SENTENCED AND ANOTHER ARRAIGNED FOR THEIR ROLES IN A STATE DISTRICT COURT CASE RELATED TO THE FEDERAL MULTI-STATE PRESCRIPTION DRUG CONSPIRACY ALLEGEDLY ORCHESTRATED BY A CASPER DOCTOR AND HIS WIFE.
NATRONA COUNTY DISTRICT COURT JUDGE DANIEL FORGEY ON WEDNESDAY SENTENCED CHARLES EDWARDS TO TWO CONCURRENT FOUR- TO SEVEN-YEAR PRISON TERMS ON ONE COUNT OF CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE OXYCODONE, AND ONE COUNT OF CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE HEROIN.

EDWARDS WAS AMONG 15 PEOPLE NAMED IN AN INDICTMENT LAST YEAR ACCUSING THEM OF PARTICIPATING IN A DRUG DISTRIBUTION CONSPIRACY IN WYOMING.

IN OCTOBER, EDWARDS PLEADED GUILTY TO THE OXYCODONE AND HEROIN CRIMES IN EXCHANGE FOR THE STATE DISMISSING ONE COUNT OF CONSPIRACY TO DELIVER XANAX; AND ANOTHER COUNT OF CONSPIRACY TO DELIVER HEROIN.

THE PLEA AGREEMENT INCLUDED THE FOUR- TO SEVEN-YEAR PRISON TERM.

BEFORE EDWARDS ENTERED HIS PLEA, ANOTHER DEFENDANT IN THE CASE APPEARED FOR HIS ARRAIGNMENT.

JOSEPH WASHAKIE PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY TO DELIVER OXYCODONE AND XANAX.

COURT RECORDS SAY LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES DISCOVERED THE DEFENDANTS DURING THE INVESTIGATION OF SHAKEEL KAHN AFTER REPORTS HE WAS PRESCRIBING ABNORMALLY EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES, MOSTLY OPIATES.

KAHN AND OTHER DEFENDANTS PROBABLY WILL GO ON TRIAL IN FEDERAL COURT LATER THIS YEAR.
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WYOMING GOVERNOR MATT MEAD SAYS THE IMPROVING STATE ECONOMY MAY CHANGE HOW LAWMAKERS APPROCAH TAX INCREASES IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET SESSION..

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A MAN WHO HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO CAUSING THE DEATH OF ANOTHER MAN BECAUSE HE WAS DRUNK DRIVING HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO PRISON.

ON WEDNESDAY, 41-YEAR-OLD RUDY ISLA-MEJICO WAS SENTENCED TO 10 TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON FOR THE DEATH OF BOB ARNDT.

THE SENTENCE WAS HANDED DOWN FOLLOWING COMMENTS BY ARNDT'S WIFE, MELANIE HARRICE, WHO FORGAVE ISLA-MEJICO AND ASKED THE JUDGE TO HAVE MERCY ON HIM.

HARRICE HAD BEEN RIDING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT NEXT TO ARNDT IN JUNE 2017 WHEN ISLA-MEJICO COLLIDED HEAD-ON WITH THEIR CONVERTIBLE.

WITNESSES SAID ISLA-MEJICO WAS DRIVING A FULL-SIZED PICKUP IN THE WRONG LANE WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS.
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TWO MISSOURI MEN ARE FACING DRUG CONSPIRACY CHARGES AFTER A POT BUST IN GREEN RIVER LED AUTHORITIES TO THE CHEYENNE HOTEL THEY WERE STAYING AT.

ACCORDING TO COURT RECORDS, IT ALL BEGAN WHEN A WYOMING TROOPER TRIED TO STOP A CAR FOR SPEEDING NEAR MILEPOST 88 ON INTERSTATE 80 FRIDAY. THE DRIVER EXITED I-80 AT EXIT 91 AND EVENTUALLY CRASHED IN GREEN RIVER.

A SEARCH OF THE CAR YIELDED 97 POUNDS OF MARIJUANA, WHICH AUTHORITIES LEARNED WAS INTENDED FOR 20-YEAR-OLD LOGAN SELF, WHO WAS STAYING AT THE AMERICAS BEST VALUE INN IN CHEYENNE WITH 22-YEAR-OLD KEVIN DOLAN.

THE DRIVER SAID THEY WOULD RECEIVE UP TO 1000 DOSAGES OF XANAX IN RETURN FOR THE MARIJUANA.

WHEN SPECIAL AGENTS CONTACTED SELF AND DOLAN AT THE HOTEL, SELF REPORTEDLY TOLD AGENTS THAT HE AND DOLAN TRAVELED FROM MISSOURI TO CALIFORNIA FOR AN UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF TIME. AGENTS SAY SELF WAS "SHAKING" AND EVENTUALLY INDICATED HE DIDN'T WANT TO SPEAK WITH THEM.

AGENTS OBTAINED A SEARCH WARRANT AND FOUND FOUR XANAX TABLETS. THEY ALSO FOUND PLASTIC BAGS WITH INDISCRIMINATE RED MARKINGS ON THEM IN THE BATHROOM TRASH CAN.

SELF AND DOLAN WERE ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY TO DELIVER MARIJUANA AND CONSPIRACY TO DELIVER ALPRAZOLAM (al-praz-uh-lamb). EACH COULD FACE UP TO 30 YEARS IN PRISON IF CONVICTED.

THE MEN'S PRELIMINARY HEARINGS ARE SCHEDULED FOR FEB. 7 IN LARAMIE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT.
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A WYOMING LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE HAS REJECTED ALL THE TAX PROPOSALS IT WAS CONSIDERING TO BOLSTER THE STATE'S SAGGING REVENUES.

THE JOINT REVENUE COMMITTEE ACTUALLY VOTED ON ONLY ONE OF THE FIVE TAX BILLS ON THE AGENDA WEDNESDAY.

AFTER A PROPOSED BILL TO IMPOSE A 1 PERCENT TAX ON PURCHASES AT LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY ESTABLISHMENTS AROUND THE STATE FAILED ON A 6-6 VOTE, THE COMMITTEE DECLINED TO EVEN CONSIDER FOUR OTHER PROPOSALS.

THOSE PROPOSALS INCLUDED RAISING THE STATE SALES TAX TO FUND SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE AND INCREASE PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT RATES.

COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRMAN REP. MIKE MADDEN OF BUFFALO SAYS ANY SUPPORT FOR THE TAX PROPOSALS DISSIPATED IN RECENT WEEKS WITH NEWS THAT THE STATE REVENUE PICTURE WAS IMPROVING BECAUSE OF A REBOUNDING OIL INDUSTRY.