sentencing – Criminal Law Wire

People v. Narvaez — First Dept. Strikes Four Probation Conditions Including Surcharge on Indigent Defendant and Baseless Gang-Association Ban

The First Department modified a probation sentence, striking four conditions as not reasonably necessary under Penal Law § 65.10(1): a financial surcharge on an indigent defendant relying on public assistance, a dependent-support condition where the defendant had no dependents, an order-of-protection compliance condition with no supporting history, and a gang-paraphernalia ban with no evidence of any gang connection.

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Hughes v. State — Plea Agreement “Sentencing Cap” Is a Non-Binding Recommendation, Not a Stipulated Sentence Under W.R.Cr.P. 11(e)(1)(C)

/ June 19, 2026

The Wyoming Supreme Court unanimously affirmed consecutive sentences for a former Casper police officer who pleaded guilty to five counts of aggravated assault and battery following a prolonged armed standoff, holding that a plea agreement capping the State’s “sentencing argument” was a non-binding recommendation under W.R.Cr.P. 11(e)(1)(B)—not a stipulated sentence under 11(e)(1)(C)—and that Wyoming district courts need not make specific findings when deviating from a sentencing recommendation.