All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
(Lander, WY) – Zachary Bellinger pled “not guilty” by reason of mental illness to the charges of arson in the third degree and criminal trespass at his arraignment hearing held today, February 6, in Lander’s District Court.
The hearing was overseen by the Honorable Judge Jason Conder, with Terry Martin representing the State and Valerie Schoneberger acting as Defense.
Bellinger, a former employee of the Lander Bar/Gannett Grill, was originally charged in relation to the attempted arson of the Lander Bar on December 9.
Judge Conder stated the motion for mental evaluation will be accepted by the court when it is officially filed.
A jury trial has been tentatively scheduled for May 19, with an April 10 pretrial conference.
The maximum sentence for an arson in the third-degree charge is 5 years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine.
The maximum sentence for a criminal trespass charge is 6 months imprisonment and a $750 fine.
County 10 will provide updates on the case as they become available, which can be viewed here.