Teen pleads not guilty to beating Casper with a gun…

CASPER — A 19-year-old Cheyenne man has pleaded not guilty beating a 21-year-old with a gun and shooting at a car with three people in the early morning hours of August 31.

Jeremy David Lakey stood in Natrona County District Court next to public defender Dylan Rosalez during his arraignment before Judge Catherine Wilking on Thursday. He was wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, handcuffed and leg chains. A large star-shaped tattoo was visible on the right side of his neck, another tattoo on his right forearm.

Judge Wilking heard the charges against the teenager, which include three counts of aggravated assault and battery, one count of criminal damage to property and criminal defamation over $1,000, and possession of a deadly weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Lakey told the judge he understood the charges against him.

“How do you beg?” she asked.

“I’m not guilty,” he said.

Rosalez asked the judge to consider reducing her bail amount from $100,000 cash to $20,000 cash or surety. He said his client worked as an electrician’s apprentice in Laramie County before the charges were filed.

Assistant District Attorney Jeff Meyer said the “charges speak for themselves” and argued bail should remain at the current level because of Lakey’s “significant juvenile history.”

“I believe bail is appropriate,” the judge said, agreeing with the prosecutor.

Charges

An arrest affidavit states that on Aug. 31, Lakey pistol-whipped 21-year-old Casper, with whom he was drinking alcohol, in a vehicle and later fired a 9 mm handgun into a car containing three of the 21-year-old’s cousins. They came to the Casper neighborhood to check on him.

Two of the aggravated assault charges involve the 21-year-old victim allegedly being pistol-whipped, and the third involves threatening and shooting at a 22-year-old cousin who showed up in the car.

The affidavit says an 18-year-old cousin who was driving told Casper police that Lakey shot at the 22-year-old, missed and hit his car.

The three counts of aggravated assault and battery against Lakey carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Criminal damage to property and property damage also carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Possessing a deadly weapon for an unlawful purpose is punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

A rash of teenage delinquency

The charges against Lakey are one of a string of violent crimes committed by teenagers in Casper and follow a statement by a 15-year-old who allegedly “I hope I killed one.” following the shooting of a caravan on August 12 and two murders of teenagers in the city earlier this year.

Two teenagers were charged with first-degree murder stabbed a 14-year-old girl to death at a local mall, and another is charged as an adult for allegedly shooting his child 17-year-old ex-girlfriend.

Dale Killingbeck you can arrive at [email protected].