How a Cheyenne Resident Ended Up in Federal Prison

A 54-year-old Cheyenne man has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and for being a felon in possession of a firearm, the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Wyoming recently announced.

According to court documents, in December of 2024, police received information that Scott VanGoethen was distributing methamphetamine in Cheyenne.

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Police Take Down Cheyenne Meth Dealer

"Through surveillance, sources of information, and eventually evidence, detectives discovered that (VanGoethen) was driving to Colorado to obtain large amounts of methamphetamine, then selling it to his neighbors, who were in turn distributing it," said USAO spokeswoman Lori Hogan.

"Detectives seized 15 firearms along with ammunition during a search of his property," Hogan added. "(VanGoethen) is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms."

VanGoethen was arrested on a complaint on March 21 and pleaded guilty to an information on July 14.

VanGoethen will be subject to five years of supervised release once he's released from prison.

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