Wyoming news briefs for April 2

Posted 4/2/21

News from across Wyoming.

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Wyoming news briefs for April 2

Posted

Man caught with 12 pounds of meth sentenced to prison

GILLETTE — A 66-year-old man originally arrested in Gillette with about 12 pounds of meth was the leader of a major distribution ring involving seven others — all of whom have now been sentenced to lengthy prison sentences.

Raymond Arthur Carnahan has been sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute meth after his arrest in January 2019.

He had been the subject of a lengthy, multi-agency drug investigation, according to Louey Williams, leader of the Northeast Enforcement Team of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. Williams said it is believed to be the largest confiscation of meth in Campbell County history with an estimated street value of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Investigators with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation began getting information in September 2018 that Carnahan was selling meth in the Gillette area, obtaining the meth from sources in either Colorado or Arizona, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Cheyenne.

Carnhan was arrested Jan. 28, 2019, after officers tried to stop him in Gillette in his tan GMC Terrain before he led led deputies on a high-speed pursuit for about 30 minutes. Carnahan was arrested after a short foot pursuit in which he tried to get rid of a backpack.

A search of the GMC and the backpack resulted in the seizure of about 12 pounds of suspected methamphetamine in 1-pound bricks and 3 ounces of suspected cocaine, along with a suspected drug ledger and other drug paraphernalia.

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Some Yellowstone roads open to bicycles

JACKSON — If you don’t mind a little slush, it might be time to break out the bike.

Yellowstone National Park has opened 49 miles of roads between the West Entrance and Mammoth Hot Springs to spring cycling.

While no services are available, except limited restrooms, the following sections of the Grand Loop Road are now open to cycling: West Entrance to Madison Junction, Madison Junction to Norris Junction and Norris Junction to Mammoth Hot Springs. Most interior park roads don’t open until April 16, when they also open to motorized vehicles, according to a park news release.

There are several factors bikers should consider before planning a spring cycling trip. Snowplows and other heavy equipment may still be active. Weather conditions are still unpredictable, and the park also recommends that cyclists carry bear spray and anticipate wildlife encounters.

“Plan for self-rescue or repair. Cell phone coverage throughout the park is sparse and unreliable for communicating emergencies,” the release stated.

As long as safety precautions are followed, cyclists have a unique opportunity to revel in Yellowstone’s quiet majesty before the park opens fully to motorized vehicles.