Fremont County man sentenced for illegal possession of a firearm

John William Goodman, age 29, of Fremont County, Wyoming, was sentenced recently to 48 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on April 12, 2023, the Riverton Police Department received a report of a physical assault involving a handgun near the Riverton bike path. Witnesses observed Goodman “pistol-whip” a man, knocking him to the ground, then beating him, before putting another person in a chokehold and pointing the gun at the person’s head. Afterwards, Goodman walked to the Murdoch’s store nearby where law enforcement officers observed Goodman drop something in a garbage can outside the store. Officers recovered a loaded 9mm Taurus pistol from the garbage can. Goodman was indicted by a federal grand jury in May and pled guilty on July 21. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on October 31.

This crime was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with substantial assistance from the Riverton Police Department and the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case.

Case No. 23-CR-00078