Wyoming Court Upholds Assistant Principal’s Sexual Assault Conviction

A former assistant principal at Sheridan High School will remain convicted of second-degree sexual assault after the Wyoming Supreme Court upheld his sentence, ruling that trial errors alleged by the defense did not affect the outcome of the case.

Court records show that in the fall of 2023, 33-year-old Jacob Alexander Meyer met an 18-year-old senior who worked in the school’s front office near his own. The two began speaking daily. Over time, Meyer gave the student gift cards and notes before eventually exchanging phone numbers. Their text conversations grew increasingly personal, including comments about her appearance.

On April 19, 2024, knowing the student had been drinking, Meyer invited her to his apartment for what he described in a message as “Fun. One time,” warning her not to tell anyone and to avoid being seen by neighbors. That night, after arriving intoxicated, the two engaged in sexual activity. The next morning, Meyer texted her, asking, “We good still?”

Weeks later, on prom night, one of the student’s friends discovered the messages and reported the relationship to school officials, who contacted law enforcement. After an investigation, Meyer was charged under Wyoming law, which prohibits sexual contact between a school employee and a student when the employee is more than four years older.

At trial, jurors heard testimony from the student, her friends, school administrators and investigators. Prosecutors also introduced 45 pages of text messages between Meyer and the student.

Court records include the following exchange:

Meyer: You realize if you tell one person we're both f*cked[?]

Victim: I understand[.]

Meyer: My life would be ruined and [I] also fear for your relationship with your parents and scholarship[.] Not trying to scare you off but making this as real as [I] can[.]

Victim: OK. Understood.

Meyer: Tomorrow? Since you’re drinking tonight?

Victim: Nah tonight.

Meyer: How will that work[?] You’ll be drinking[.] Not good[.] What time[?] ?

Victim: When I’m hammered[.]

Meyer: That’s not good[.]

Victim: It’s the only way[.]

A jury convicted Meyer, and he was sentenced to three to five years in prison.

On appeal, Meyer argued the trial court improperly excluded evidence that the student later attended the same gym as him after she graduated, saying it could have been used to challenge her credibility. The Supreme Court rejected that argument, finding the gym evidence irrelevant to whether the assault occurred while Meyer was employed at the school. Because the student never testified that she was afraid of Meyer, the defense did not attempt to introduce the gym evidence during trial.

Meyer also argued prosecutors improperly elicited victim impact testimony when the student described prom as the “worst day” of her life, said she missed two weeks of school and worried about her mother finding out. The high court found no plain error, emphasizing the strength of the evidence — particularly the text messages and corroborating testimony.

Concluding there was no reasonable probability the verdict would have been different, the Wyoming Supreme Court affirmed Meyer’s conviction and sentence.