Clerk charged — Summons sets Nov. 14 court date

Natrona County prosecutors have charged Weston County Clerk Becky Jo Hadlock, 46, with failure to appear after investigators say she did not show up when subpoenaed to testify before a legislative subcommittee reviewing the 2024 Weston County general election.

As previously reported, Hadlock was served a subpoena for a Sept. 29 subcommittee meeting but failed to appear. She told legislators she had a scheduling conflict and that two other individuals would speak on her behalf, though both later said they were unaware they were representing her. It was also stated that Hadlock’s deputy, Amber Green, was unable to appear because she also had a schedule conflict.

Following a complaint from the Legislature, Natrona County Circuit Judge Kevin D. Taheri issued a criminal summons Oct. 24 ordering Hadlock to appear at 10 a.m. Nov. 14 in Casper to answer a misdemeanor count under Wyoming Statute 28-1-110(a). The summons lists the alleged offense date as Sept. 29, 2025, and warns that an arrest warrant will be issued if she fails to appear.

According to a sworn investigative affidavit filed the same day, the Legislature’s Management Audit Committee – Weston County Clerk 2024 General Election Subcommittee planned to take testimony Sept. 29 at the Thyra Thomson State Office Building in Casper. The subpoena issued to Hadlock indicated that she would be allowed to appear in person or remotely.

Investigators say the panel subpoenaed Hadlock on Sept. 19, and a Weston County sheriff’s sergeant personally served her at 2:25 p.m. Sept. 23 in Newcastle, where she signed the service worksheet. The affidavit says Hadlock then emailed the committee on Sept. 25 acknowledging receipt of the subpoena and saying she would not attend because of a scheduling conflict.

Committee leaders told investigators they considered Hadlock’s testimony “crucial” to their review of the 2024 election. The report includes interviews with Rep. Christopher Knapp, Sen. Dan Laursen and Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, who chaired the subcommittee, as well as the committee’s video record of the Sept. 29 session where the subpoena and Hadlock’s email were discussed on the record.

In an Oct. 8 interview with Natrona County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ken Jividen, Hadlock acknowledged receiving the subpoena but said she had a doctor’s appointment in Newcastle around 8 a.m. Sept. 29 and also needed to drive her mother to a 9:30 a.m. appointment in Gillette that day. She provided documentation dated Oct. 9, after her conversation with Jividen, referencing those appointments, according to the affidavit.

The case file was forwarded to the Natrona County District Attorney’s Office with a recommendation for a single count of failure to appear. Hadlock is ordered to appear on that charge at 10 a.m. Nov. 14 before Judge Taheri at 115 N. Center St., Suite 400, in Casper.