Opinion ID: 6534236
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Filing of False Claims-Sufficiency of the Evidence

Text: [¶34] Mr. Haskell also challenges his conviction for submitting false claims by questioning the sufficiency of the evidence. Our standard for reviewing sufficiency of the evidence claims is set forth. See supra ¶ 21. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 6-5-303 (b) (LexisNexis 2017) states: A person is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than two (2) years, a fine of not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000.00), or both, if he knowingly submits a false claim or voucher with intent to defraud. [¶35] Mr. Haskell argues that the false dates on the vendors' vouchers to the county were not sufficient evidence he had the intent to defraud the county. He claims he does not have personal responsibility to pay for items the commissioners decline to pay because the commissioners have discretion over paying or not paying vouchers, and there is an appeal process for disallowed claims against the county under Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 18-3-513 (LexisNexis 2017). He asserts that the false dates on the vouchers only established that he lied to the commission regarding their gentlemen's agreement on who would pay for which items, and the false dates were de minimis evidence that the claims were false because the county received the items he ordered. However, Mr. Haskell does not connect or support these arguments with any pertinent authority. He argues we should accept his arguments under a de minimis defense under common law, but he does not explain what that defense would look like or cite any case in which we recognized or applied such a defense to find insufficient evidence for a criminal conviction. Without cogent argument or citation to pertinent authority, we will not invent a de minimis defense regarding the elements of Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 6-5-303 (b). See, e.g. , State v. Campbell Cty. Sch. Dist. , 2001 WY 90 , ¶ 35, 32 P.3d 325 , 333 (Wyo. 2001) (Under this court's long-standing precedent, this court will not frame the issues for the litigants and will not consider issues not raised by them and not supported by cogent argument and authoritative citation.). [¶36] Instead, after accepting as true the State's evidence and all reasonable inferences which can be drawn from it, we find there is sufficient evidence to support Mr. Haskell's conviction for submitting false claims. See Bohling , ¶ 33, 388 P.3d at 510 (citing Sweets , ¶ 14, 307 P.3d at 865 ). Mr. Haskell ordered the uniforms and related items on behalf of the county and to be paid by the county. He also intentionally had order dates changed on invoices to falsely indicate he ordered the items after he was sworn in. He told representatives of one of the companies he needed to change dates on the invoices because the county commissioners were mad at him. He also ordered the shredding of original invoices. Finally, he knew the dates were false on vouchers submitted to the commissioners for payment. Based on this evidence, the jury could have reasonably concluded all elements of the crime were proven beyond a reasonable doubt. We therefore affirm Mr. Haskell's conviction under Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 6-5-303 (b) for submitting false claims.