Meredith Changes Plea Halfway Through Trial

SWEETWATER COUNTY — The jury was discharged on day six of what was slated to be a 10-day trial in the case of the State of Wyoming v. Allen E. Meredith, as Meredith changed his not guilty plea to no contest.

Meredith, 60, appeared in the Third District Court of Judge Suzannah Robinson Monday morning in what was supposed to be the sixth day of his jury trial. Instead, the jury was discharged at the start of the day and Meredith entered a no contest plea in exchange for a plea agreement. Sentencing is scheduled to take place Thursday, Nov. 7, at 9 a.m.

Meredith was on trial for three felony counts , including one felony charge of conspiracy to commit theft, one felony charge of theft, and one felony charge of crimes against intellectual property. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. He pleaded not guilty to these charge in May 2023.

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However, the plea agreement states that if Meredith pleads no contest to count 1, conspiracy to commit theft, the other two counts would be dismissed by the state. The plea agreement further states that Meredith would serve no less than two years of incarceration and no more than five years, however, all prison time would be suspended for three years of supervised probation.

Meredith changed his plea to no contest for one count of conspiracy to commit theft, and Judge Robinson set sentencing to occur later this week. Robinson also clarified to Meredith that the court has the right to sentence him how they see fit, and it does not have to align with the plea agreement.

The charges in this case stem from incidents occurring between October 15, 2021, and April 7, 2022, in which Meredith conspired to commit theft, and allegedly committed theft of equipment from Cannon Oil and Gas, to start his own company, Mountain West Energy Services.

Meredith is being accused of allegedly conspiring to commit theft with former Cannon Oil and Gas employees David Jay Mansfield, who pleaded not guilty to three felony counts in September 2023, and James "Jim" Verlin Johnson, who pleaded no contest in June of this year to one felony charge of conspiracy to commit theft and was sentenced to probation. As per Meredith's plea agreement, he has agreed to provide truthful testimony in Mansfield's trial if it comes to light.

Correction: A previous version of this stated that the prosecution had rested their case and the defense was set to call their witnesses. The prosecution had not yet rested their case, and the has been amended.