District court roundup: Man pleads no contest to felony property destruction

Aug. 7—CHEYENNE — A man accused of breaking into his ex-wife's home and causing more than $2,000 in damage pleaded no contest July 27 in Laramie County District Court.

Robert Logan Noble entered the plea to felony property destruction as part of a plea agreement.

Additional charges of felony burglary, felony third-degree arson, misdemeanor property destruction and interfering with a police officer (resisting) would be dismissed at sentencing, per the agreement, along with charges of felony strangulation of a household member and misdemeanor property destruction in another case.

The state agreed to recommend a sentence of four to six years of incarceration.

Laramie County District Judge Steven Sharpe set Noble's sentencing for Oct. 25.

On Oct. 5, a Cheyenne Police officer responded to a reported burglary and arson. An investigation showed that, sometime between 12:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., Noble cut through a window screen and entered the home of his ex-wife and the mother of his child, according to court documents. Noble then spread paint throughout the house and broke several items, with damage estimated at around $1,300.

Before leaving, Noble placed two laptop computers, each worth around $750, in the kitchen oven and turned it on, destroying both computers. He then flattened both driver's side tires on the woman's car, each worth about $100.

Noble was contacted around 4 p.m. Oct. 6 by Laramie County Sheriff's deputies and later arrested by a Cheyenne Police officer, according to court documents. When told to stand up and turn, Noble tried to force his way past deputies and was "rigidly resistant" while deputies tried to handcuff him. Noble also made several threats to officers and attempted to free himself several times throughout the arrest, and he was eventually placed in a WRAP restraint before being transported to the Laramie County jail.

Noble had previously been charged with strangulation of a household member, a felony, and misdemeanor property destruction. Around 12:51 a.m. June 11, a Cheyenne Police officer responded to a call from Noble's ex-wife that the two had been in a physical fight in which Noble grabbed her throat and squeezed for a "couple seconds," according to court documents. The woman said she had not been able to breathe and had difficulty swallowing, but she had not lost consciousness. She said Noble head-butted the screen door on his way out, causing an estimated $100 in damage.

The officer reported the woman's voice sounded hoarse and that she had a mark the size of a thumb on her neck. When reached by the officer, Noble said he "did not lay a hand on" the woman and had not damaged the screen door.

Also heard July 27 in district court:

Keven Wesley Smith pleaded no contest to felony unlawful entry into an occupied structure as part of a plea agreement.

If the agreement is followed, two additional charges — felony strangulation of a household member and misdemeanor property destruction — would be dismissed at sentencing. Smith and the state agreed to a recommended sentence of three years supervised probation, with a suspended five to seven years in prison.

Judge Sharpe set Smith's sentencing for Oct. 25.

At 10:29 p.m. Feb. 20, a Cheyenne Police officer responded to a reported burglary. The officer then contacted the caller, a woman, who was running down the street and saying a man was breaking into her home, according to court documents. The officer saw a man through the windows, later identified as Smith, walking around in the home. The officer said Smith had blood on his hands and pants, was visually intoxicated and aggressive.

Smith said he and the woman had ended their relationship a month prior, but planned to meet at a bar. After a few drinks, Smith said, the two left, and the woman later invited him to her home, according to court documents. At the home, they ended up arguing. Smith said he left the home and the woman locked the door behind him, but he then realized he left his coat and keys in the home.

Smith said he then started to break the glass on the front door, but when he couldn't get through, he climbed up onto the roof from the porch steps and broke a bedroom window, entering the home, according to court documents.

The woman reported to police that, when she arrived at the bar to meet with Smith, he was confrontational, and she left 15 minutes after she arrived because "nothing good comes out of it when he (Smith) has been drinking that much." The woman said Smith arrived at her home around 9:54 p.m, according to court documents. The two spoke, but the discussion escalated, with Smith calling the woman names, she said.

After the woman told him to stop, Smith grabbed her by her hair and used his other hand to grab her neck, she said, rendering her unable to breathe and feel close to fainting, according to court documents. The officer said the woman was hoarse, had a slight bloody nose, was coughing and had red lines on her neck consistent with Smith grabbing her by the neck. The woman's necklace had also been broken during the interaction, and she had a red line on the back of her neck.

During the incident, Smith caused an estimated $725 in property damage, according to court documents.

Hannah Black is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle's criminal justice reporter. She can be reached at hblack@wyomingnews.com or 307-633-3128. Follow her on Twitter at @hannahcblack.