All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
(Riverton, WY) – The scheduled July 15 jury trial for 39-year-old Riverton man Terrence Jenkins did not take place last week following an unopposed motion for a psychological examination that was granted on June 6.
Jenkins was initially arrested on March 13, 2024, in relation to a warrant for two counts of aggravated robbery stemming from incidents in 2022, but additional charges of attempted kidnapping, arson in the first degree, and aggravated assault and battery were later added during the investigation.
Jenkins was also previously convicted of sexual abuse in 2009 by the federal district court, indecent liberties with a minor in 2004 by the local district Court, and is currently serving a federally imposed prison sentence for failing to register as a sex offender charge from 2022. (That sentence was for 16 months imprisonment with 5 years of supervised release and was filed on March 14, 2023.)
If convicted on the kidnapping, first-degree sexual assault, or aggravated assault and battery charges (and due to the other mentioned past convictions), Jenkins will be charged as a habitual criminal, according to Court documents.
Jenkins originally pled “not guilty” at his arraignment hearing back in April, but later filed a written plea of “Not Guilty By Reason of Mental Illness or Deficiency” on May 2, specifically in reference to the aggravated robbery, attempted kidnapping, and attempted sexual assault charges.
That motion states that Jenkins “informed the counsel that he has a history of mental illness including schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, ADHD and depression,” and he asserted that his “mental health was altered” at the time of the incidents because he had “stopped taking his prescribed medications and had stopped seeing his therapist.”
The motion also states that Jenkins had been using controlled substances at the time, which, combined with the lack of medication, “grossly and demonstrably impaired his perception or understanding of reality.”
The psychological evaluation was granted on June 6, and he was subsequently provided a designated examiner. Unless granted a continuance of some kind, the Designated Examiner will have 60 days from the date above to provide a written report of examination.
The July 15 jury trial ultimately did not take place, and further proceedings await pending the results of the examination.
County 10 will provide updates as they become available, which can be viewed here.