TORRINGTON – The Goshen County District Court rose in session Tuesday afternoon at promptly 3 p.m. to address the potential bond revocation of Torrington man, Kevin Gunhammer, Jr. (22). 

District Judge Ed Buchanan presided over the hearing while Goshen County and Prosecuting Attorney, Eric Boyer, was present in representing the State of Wyoming.

Wyoming public defender, Eric Palen, was present digitally in representing the defense of Gunhammer. 

The proceeding began with Judge Buchanan reading the mandatory constitutional rights of the defendant, noting any admittance of guilt cannot be retracted and may carry distinct future consequences.

“I will tell you what happens,” Judge Buchanan began. “If you were to admit to violating your bond, it all could be revoked and you could be held at the Goshen County Detention Center. Also, the state could choose to withdraw any plea agreements, and if you admit to violating your condition of bond it could also impact the court’s decision in regard to any plea agreement. It could also cause the court to forfeit your bond altogether. Any amount of money already posted will not be returned.”

Judge Buchanan addressed Palen, requesting what the defense counsel’s intentions were for the day.

“My client is going to admit he violated his bond Your Honor, but we also have an offering from the prosecutor to resolve the entire case,” Palen responded. “I talked about this very briefly with my client today. I can tell you my client does have an opening for treatment, which he very much wants and qualifies for in Casper. He would like to get into a program as soon as possible, and if we could continue this resolution he would admit he violated his bond. We also have an offer from the prosecutor.” 

The prosecution proceeded to go over the state’s current stance on Gunhammer’s case, while also reviewing initial charges which led to a bond revocation hearing in the first place.

“The state is currently able to provide a witness and evidence Mr. Gunhammer’s bond was renewed both in this court and from circuit court,” Boyer said. “As of March 8, 2024, the court required Mr. Gunhammer to refrain from any possession, consumption or ingestion of alcoholic beverages. He should have known this despite the fact he was arrested twice by the Torrington Police Department. First on April 19, when he provided a breath sample of .194, and the second on June 14, where Mr. Gunhammer provided a breath sample of .141. His possession or use of alcohol was voluntary and willing.”

After hearing statements from both the defense as well as prosecution, Judge Buchanan then spoke directly to the defendant with words of distinct concern. The district judge then asked exactly why the 22-year-old would choose to violate conditions of his bond by drinking, knowing full well it would be a serious violation of court-ordered terms as well as incredibly damaging to his ongoing case. 

“It clearly said the terms of your bond included you would not violate any local, state, or federal laws and would not use or possess any substances,” Buchanan said. “Do you understand the words used to petition your bond and what the allegations are? The allegations are you drank alcohol when you were not supposed to. Do you understand the potential consequences of admitting you violated your bond? What exactly happened on these two occasions?”

The defendant responded faintly to the judge’s questioning with a conclusive tone of remorse and regret for ongoing and recent run-ins with the law. As Gunhammer explained, the violation was but a prominent example based largely on issues related to a self-proclaimed severe dependency on alcohol.

“I’m going to be honest,” Gunhammer said. “I have an addiction where I don’t even remember waking up in jail. I have a problem I apparently never solved. You could even ask the cops how drunk I was. I didn’t even know I got arrested. I woke up the next day and said, ‘How the hell did I get here?’ I don’t remember starting drinking, and I don’t remember nothing past or during that day.”

“Do you believe if the state were to present evidence the court would find it clear and convincing which violated your bond?” Judge Buchanan responded.

Gunhammer responded in the affirmative. “Yes sir.”

“I will find you are competent and not under the influence of anything which would make it difficult for you to understand today’s proceedings,” Judge Buchanan concluded. “I will also find you voluntarily admitted the allegations, you understood the consequences and you agreed with evidence the state found. This case would convince this court you did violate your bond, you will continue to be held at the Goshen County Detention Center to have a disposition as Mr. Palen mentioned, and deal perhaps also with other matters in the underlying case. Your bond will remain at $7,500 cash.”

The court stood in recess at 3:12 p.m.