Former RS mayor pleads guilty

Former Rock Springs mayor Timothy Kaumo pleaded guilty to one count of official misconduct and one count of conflict of interest in a sentencing hearing in Evanston last Tuesday, April 25. Kaumo was sentenced to pay a fine of $5,000. 

In the summer of 2022, Kaumo was charged with six misdemeanors related to alleged actions he took to win a municipal contract for his company JFC Engineers and Surveyors to work on the Bitter Creek Restoration Project. The charges, which consisted of five counts of official misconduct and one count of conflict of interest, carried with them fines of up to $5,000 each.

The official misconduct charges stated that in Kaumo's "intent to obtain a pecuniary benefit, or maliciously to cause harm to another, he knowingly committed an act relating to his official duties that he did not have the authority to undertake" in July of 2020.

Court documents claimed Kaumo had used his mayoral position to obtain information and bid documents, as well as saying that Kaumo sent emails to Rock Springs City Council representatives in an attempt to sway their votes. While the contract bid was ultimately given to a different company, the former mayor allegedly disparaged the competing firms' proposals publicly and failed to abstain from voting by issuing a "no" vote on the bid award.

Court documents state Sweetwater County Sheriff John Grossnickle requested an outside investigation from the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation Aug. 19, 2020. Both the FBI and DCI investigated the situation for nearly two years.

When he was charged in 2022, Kaumo initially denied the allegations and told Rock Springs City Council representatives in an email that he intended to clear his name. 

Sweetwater County Circuit Court Judges John Prokos and Craig Jones recused themselves from presiding over court hearings regarding the charges.

Third Judicial District Judge Michael Greer of Uinta County presided over the sentencing hearing.

According to Wyoming News Exchange sources, Judge Greer made note of the benefit Kaumo had for the city of Rock Springs during his time as mayor and said there was no evidence Kaumo had done this before.