Former Wyoming Trooper Gets 10-15 Years for Sexual Assault

A former Wyoming Highway Patrol sergeant will spend at least the next decade in prison after a jury found him guilty of sexually assaulting a woman.

Laramie County District Court Judge Robin Cooley on Thursday, May 23, sentenced 40-year-old Burns resident Gabriel Lee Testerman to 10 to 15 years in prison for first-degree sexual assault, a felony punishable by imprisonment for not less than five years nor more than 50 years.

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Testerman's attorney argued for probation or five to seven years in prison, while the state argued for 35 to 40 years in prison.

'An Egregious Abuse of Trust'

The state argued, and Cooley agreed, that Testerman violated the trust the community had placed in him as a law enforcement officer.

"A position in law enforcement carries with it great responsibility whether on duty or off duty," said Cooley.

"Law enforcement is held to a higher standard and more is expected of them," Cooley added. "I feel this crime is an egregious abuse of trust."

How We Got Here

On May 2, 2022, the Wyoming Highway Patrol was contacted by the Cheyenne Police Department about an investigation involving Testerman, and he was immediately removed from service and placed on administrative leave.

Testerman was arrested by the Laramie County Sheriff's Office on Aug. 30, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree sexual assault on Sept. 19, 2022.

The information alleged that on or between July 23 and Aug. 1, 2021, and on or about April 25, 2022, Testerman "inflicted sexual intrusion" on two women "causing submission (through) physical force or forcible confinement."

A Laramie County jury on Feb. 1, 2024, returned a split verdict in Testerman's case, finding him guilty on one of three counts of first-degree sexual assault.