LARAMIE – Charges have been filed on Albany County and Prosecuting Attorney Richard Carl Bohling according to a release from the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation issued Friday.
The Wyoming Attorney General’s Office alleged Bohling used county money to buy cameras and computer equipment for his personal use. He was officially charged with nine counts, including larceny, wrongful taking of property and official misconduct.
At the request of the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation has been conducting an investigation into Albany County and Prosecuting Attorney Richard Carl Bohling, since approximately March 2014. Bohling has been in this elected position since 2002. According to the DCI release, this investigation and alleged criminal violations are all within the time frame that Bohling has been in this office. Like any other case, Mr. Bohling is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
On December 18, 2014, Eighth Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Randall R. Arp authorized the following charges against Bohling:
COUNT ONE:
Felony Larceny – On or about the 16th day of September, 2011, when acting as a bailee, and with the intent to steal or to deprive the owner of the property, converted property to his own or another’s use, the value of said property being in excess of one thousand dollars, in violation of W.S. § 6-3-402(b) (LexisNexis 2012) LARCENY, as more fully described in the affidavit of Special Agent Steve Herrmann of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, said acts being contrary to the form of the Statute in such case made and provided, punishable pursuant to the provisions of W.S. § 6-3-402, and against the peace and the dignity of the State of Wyoming.
COUNT TWO:
Felony Larceny – On or about the 17th day of September, 2011, when acting as a bailee, and with the intent to steal or to deprive the owner of the property, converted property to his own or another’s use, the value of said property being in excess of one thousand dollars, in violation of W.S. § 6-3-402(b) (LexisNexis 2012) LARCENY, as more fully described in the affidavit of Special Agent Steve Herrmann of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, said acts being contrary to the form of the Statute in such case made and provided, punishable pursuant to the provisions of W.S. § 6-3-402, and against the peace and the dignity of the State of Wyoming.
COUNT THREE:
Felony Larceny – On or about the 25th day of July, 2012, when acting as a bailee, and with the intent to steal or to deprive the owner of the property, converted property to his own or another’s use, the value of said property being in excess of one thousand dollars, in violation of W.S. § 6-3-402(b) (LexisNexis 2012) LARCENY, as more fully described in the affidavit of Special Agent Steve Herrmann of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, attached hereto and by this reference incorporated herein, said acts being contrary to the form of the Statute in such case made and provided, punishable pursuant to the provisions of W.S. § 6-3-402, and against the peace and the dignity of the State of Wyoming.
COUNT FOUR:
Felony Larceny – On or about the 1st day of June, 2008, up through and including on or about the 30th day of June, 2013, when acting as a bailee, and with the intent to steal or to deprive the owner of the property, converted property to his own or another’s use, the aggregate value of said property being in excess of one thousand dollars, in violation of W.S. §§ 6-3-402(b) (LexisNexis 2012) LARCENY and 6-3-410, as more fully described in the affidavit of Special Agent Steve Herrmann of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, said acts being contrary to the form of the Statute in such case made and provided, punishable pursuant to the provisions of W.S. § 6-3-402, and against the peace and the dignity of the State of Wyoming.
COUNT FIVE:
Felony Wrongful Taking or Disposing of Property – On or about the 1st day of June, 2008, up through and including on or about the 6th day of August, 2013, did buy, receive, conceal or dispose of property which he knew, believed, or had reasonable cause to believe was obtained in violation of law, the aggregate value of said property being in excess of one thousand dollars, in violation of W.S. §§ 6-3-403(a) Wrongful Taking or Disposing of Property, and 6-3-410, as more fully described in the affidavit of Special Agent Steve Herrmann of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, said acts being contrary to the form of the Statute in such case made and provided, punishable pursuant to the provisions of W.S. § 6-3-403, and against the peace and the dignity of the State of Wyoming.
COUNT SIX:
Felony Submitting a False Voucher – On or about the 1st day of June, 2008, up through and including on or about the 6th day of August, 2013, did knowingly submit a false voucher to the Albany County Board of County Commissioners with intent to defraud, in violation of W.S. § 6-5-303(b), as more fully described in the affidavit of Special Agent Steve Herrmann of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, said acts being contrary to the form of the Statute in such case made and provided, punishable pursuant to the provisions of W.S. § 6-5-303, and against the peace and the dignity of the State of Wyoming. Specifically, he submitted a voucher that included $2,499.60 for camera equipment purchased from Sam’s Club for his own use and benefit.
COUNT SEVEN:
Official Misconduct, Misdemeanor – On or about the 1st day of June, 2008, up through and including on or about the 6th day of August, 2013, did, while he was a public servant or public officer, with the intent to obtain a pecuniary benefit, knowingly commit an unauthorized act relating to his official duties, or violate a statute relating to his official duties by converting property of the Albany County, Wyoming government to his own use, in violation of W.S. § 6-5-107(a)(i), as charged in Counts One through Four above, and more fully described in the affidavit of Special Agent Steve Herrmann of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, said acts being contrary to the form of the Statute in such case made and provided, punishable pursuant to the provisions of W.S. § 6-5-107, and against the peace and the dignity of the State of Wyoming.
COUNT EIGHT:
Wrongful Appropriation of Public Property, Misdemeanor – On or about the 1st day of June, 2008, up through and including on or about the 6th day of August, 2013, while he was a public servant, did come into possession of cameras and camera equipment that was property of the Albany County, Wyoming government and, with the intent temporarily to deprive the owner of its use and benefit, converted such public property to his own use, in violation of W.S. § 6-5-110, as more fully described in the affidavit of Special Agent Steve Herrmann of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, said acts being contrary to the form of the Statute in such case made and provided, punishable pursuant to the provisions of W.S. § 6-5-110, and against the peace and the dignity of the State of Wyoming.
COUNT NINE:
Use Public Funds, Time, Personnel, Facilities or Equipment for Benefit, Misdemeanor – On or about the 20th day ofJune, 2008, up through and including on or about the 2nd day of July, 2008, did use public funds, time, personnel, facilities or equipment for his private benefit or that of another by paying for a membership in the Laramie Rifle Range out of the petty cash fund of the Albany County Attorney’s Office, such use being unauthorized by law, in violation of W.S. § 9-13-105, as more fully described in the affidavit of Special Agent Steve Herrmann of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, said acts being contrary to the form of the Statute in such case made and provided, punishable pursuant to the provisions of W.S. § 9-13-109, and against the peace and the dignity of the State of Wyoming.
On December 19, 2014, Bohling surrendered to the Albany County Sheriff’s Office on these charges. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Department of Criminal Investigation said no further statements will be made at this time as this investigation is an ongoing criminal matter.
