A Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an ongoing investigation by Cheyenne police.

Robert King, who's been a trooper in the Cheyenne area since December 2008, was placed on leave on February 17 after the Patrol was made aware of an investigation involving King.

"The Cheyenne Police Department is basically investigating two incidents regarding Robert King," said Cheyenne Police Department spokesman Officer Kevin Malatesta. "The first one took place on February 16 and it was a felony vandalism."

"Then last night at about 11 o'clock we responded to a call for a violation of a protection order, contacted Robert King in regards to that violation and arrested him for the same," Malatesta added. "He was also charged with criminal entry or trespassing for that incident."

Malatesta couldn't comment on the nature of the protection order and declined to say whether it was related to the February incident.

"We're not treating this any differently than we would if it hadn't happened to a trooper," said Malatesta. "If it had been somebody else, we would be looking at it the same way."

King is scheduled to make his initial appearance in Laramie County Circuit Court tomorrow (Wednesday).

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