News – Sheridan Media
A Sheridan man was sentenced to prison Tuesday in Fourth Judicial District Court for sexually abusing a minor. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.
On February 24, 2025, the Sheridan Police Department was notified that an 11-year-old female had disclosed to a school official that she’d been sexually abused by 44-year-old Marshall McLain. A subsequent investigation by law enforcement concluded that the sexual abuse began several years ago and continued until February of this year. McLain was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual abuse of a minor in the first degree. At sentencing Tuesday, District Court Judge Darci Phillips accepted the terms of a plea agreement reached with the State and sentenced McLain to 30 to 50 years in prison for each count, and to run the sentences concurrently.
McLain was given 223 days of credit for time served of presentence confinement. He was also ordered by the Court to pay $525 in court costs and assessments and $876.24 in restitution to the Wyoming Division of Victim Services. McLain was remanded to the custody of the Sheridan County Detention Center pending transfer to prison.
Also from District Court Tuesday:
A pretrial conference was held for Hank Ward, who is charged with felony strangulation of a household member and two misdemeanors; domestic battery and property destruction and defacement. During the status hearing, District Court Judge Darci Phillips said that 50 prospective jurors will be brought in for the jury selection process and that a Notice of Intent hearing will be held Friday, October 24. A three-day jury trial is scheduled to begin Monday, November 3.
According to court documents, Ward turned himself in to law enforcement on April 18, 2025 for the alleged crimes. The strangulation charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. The domestic battery charge is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $750, unless the defendant has been convicted of a similar domestic crime in the past five years, then it is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. The property destruction is punishable by six months in jail and a fine of up to $750.
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Last modified: October 15, 2025