James Warren Martin, a 38-year-old resident of Casper, Wyoming, has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison. The sentence includes a lifetime of supervised release for the transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. This federal sentence will run concurrently with his state court sentence of 37 to 45 years imposed by Wyoming’s Seventh Judicial District for crimes against the same victim. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl delivered the sentence on January 23 in Casper.
Court documents reveal that law enforcement became aware of Martin's activities in October 2022 when a family member and guardian of the minor victim reported him to the Casper Police Department for grooming the girl. Following an investigation, on November 16, 2022, Martin took the girl from school and left Wyoming with her, prompting an Amber Alert in both Wyoming and Arizona after investigators suspected they were headed there.
A deputy from La Paz County Sheriff's Office in Arizona found Martin and the minor victim. Authorities arrested Martin and rescued the girl. Electronic evidence indicated Martin's intention to take her to Mexico and confirmed he had engaged in sexual intercourse with her after leaving Wyoming. During interrogation, Martin confessed to having had sexual relations with her multiple times over several years in Natrona County, Wyoming.
Martin was indicted on January 11, 2023, entered federal custody on July 15, 2024, and pleaded guilty on October 29, 2024.
The investigation involved several agencies including the Casper Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, and La Paz County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona. Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the federal case while state charges were handled by Natrona County District Attorney’s Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse through coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local resources.