James Warren Martin, a 38-year-old resident of Casper, Wyoming, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for the transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. This sentence will run concurrently with his existing 37-to-45-year sentence from Wyoming’s Seventh Judicial District state court related to the same victim. The sentence was handed down by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on January 23 in Casper.
The case began in October 2022 when a family member and guardian of the minor reported to the Casper Police Department that Martin was grooming the girl. Following an investigation by detectives, it was discovered that Martin had picked up the girl from school on November 16, 2022, and fled with her out of state. This led to an Amber Alert being issued in Wyoming and subsequently in Arizona after investigators believed they were there.
Martin and the minor were found by a deputy from the La Paz County Sheriff's Office in Arizona. Martin was arrested, and the girl was rescued. Evidence revealed that Martin intended to take her to Mexico and had engaged in sexual intercourse with her after leaving Wyoming. He later confessed during an interview to having multiple sexual encounters with her over several years in Natrona County, Wyoming.
Martin faced indictment on January 11, 2023, entered federal custody on July 15, 2024, and pleaded guilty on October 29, 2024.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Casper Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, and La Paz County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold handled the prosecution at the federal level while state crimes were prosecuted 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 across various levels of law enforcement.
