Van Fleet pleads not guilty on potential felony sexual assault charges

Defense challenges judge’s participation in upcoming trial

Boyd Van Fleet, 53, of Greybull pleaded not guilty to three potential felony charges originating from an alleged 2006 incident regarding sexual assault of a minor at his arraignment in Big Horn County District Court on Tuesday, May 12. 

Big Horn County Attorney Marcia Bean and Deputy Attorney Kimberly Mickelson represented the state, which leveled two charges and an alternate against Van Fleet: sexual assault in the second degree, which alleges Van Fleet digitally penetrated a victim under the age of 14 that he held a position of authority over, and sexual assault in the third degree, defined as sexual contact without intrusion; or, as an alternative to the second charge, third degree sexual assault without intrusion or serious bodily injury. The charges are under 2006 Wyoming statute, all three carrying a sentence not more than 20 years, a fine of not more than $10,000, or both. Judge Bobbi Overfield informed the defendant that a consecutive sentence could mean maximum jail time of 40 years and/or a fine up to $40,000. 

A redacted affidavit, written by Big Horn County Deputy Sheriff and Sergeant Jeff Angell, states that the incident was initially reported in 2018. The alleged victim’s mother called Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office at that time to report her daughter had been sexually assaulted by Van Fleet while working on his ranches between Greybull and Shell in the summer of 2006, when the victim was 13 years old. 

In 2018, Angell interviewed the victim outside of Big Horn County. She reported she had been receiving rides to work on Van Fleet’s ranch from two coworkers for two to three weeks before they quit. Van Fleet allegedly offered to let the victim stay at one of the ranch’s houses while he stayed in another, which the victim’s mother authorized. The victim alleged that after she went to bed, Van Fleet entered the house, got into bed with her, and began touching her, whispering that he wished she was older. 

At Van Fleet’s preliminary hearing on May 4, Angell testified that the case had been dropped in 2018 as the victim stopped returning his calls, which he reported was common in sexual assault cases. In February 2026, the incident rose again due to a Facebook post, wherein a woman who had travelled from Michigan to work on Van Fleet’s ranch alleged he was a dangerous individual and it was not safe for young girls to work for him following inappropriate behavior from Van Fleet, which was reported to BHCSO. The victim in this case reached out to the reporting party with her story, which was then relayed to BHCSO. 

The investigation was reopened and the victim gave another interview, holding largely the same information. Angell was able to contact one of the victim’s former coworkers, who corroborated details of her story. 

Van Fleet had already posted $75,000 bond before his initial appearance in April. At the conclusion of Tuesday’s arraignment, Van Fleet’s attorney, Chris King, notified Judge Overfield that a written motion to recuse her would be filed on account of Overfield previously representing clients of relation to Van Fleet as an attorney. A jury trial, yet to be scheduled, is expected to last four days.