CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A male suspect was arrested by local law enforcement on a felony charge of kidnapping after it was alleged that he was conspiring to leave the country with a 10-year-old child without the consent of their legal guardian.
According to a sworn affidavit of probable cause, on June 28, 2021, deputies with the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) were dispatched to Gate 5 at Warren Air Force Base in reference to a wanted person.
Deputies state that when they arrived at the Gate they made contact with the suspect, identified as Corey Fenton, 38. Authorities say that they discovered that Fenton had an active warrant in his name for Interference with Child Custody out of Denton County, Texas.
Court paperwork obtained from the Laramie County Circuit Court reveals that the suspect was with a 10-year-old child at the time law enforcement officials made contact with him. Deputies report that Fenton was being cooperative at the time with them.
Fenton identified a woman who lived in Oregon as the maternal parent of the child, according to the affidavit. The suspect explained that the child’s maternal parent was financially unable to purchase an airline ticket to collect the child.
After transporting Fenton to the Laramie County Detention Center on his outstanding warrant, court papers state that deputies were contacted by a detective out of Denton County, Texas on the matter. The detective from Denton County advised LCSO officials that the child Fenton was with had been reported as missing since December 2020.
According to the affidavit, the detective went on to tell deputies that the woman Fenton identified as the maternal parent of the child was actually just one of his friends. The detective advised that they had been searching for Fenton in relation to the child’s disappearance.
Authorities allege that Fenton was attempting to get onto Warren Air Force Base by using a veteran identification card with the name Kakashi Killua Ryu and was there to get the child a “Pass” (identification). The suspect told law enforcement that he had changed his name legally due to his identification card being stolen.
Deputies were informed by the detective from Fenton County that they believed Fenton intended to leave the county once he was able to get identification for the child.
“It was found … after the child custody agreement was sent to me that Fenton had taken (the child) without consent of the legal guardian.”
The affidavit states that the child was placed in Fenton’s custody on a civil standby order against the maternal parent in late 2020. Soon after, the civil order was found to be invalid against the maternal parent.
“In the time it took to prove the protection order was invalid, Corey left the state of Texas with the child due to the fraudulently obtained order of protection,” investigators stated in the affidavit.
Authorities in Denton County, Texas allege that their investigations reveal that the fraudulently obtained order of protection used by Fenton assisted him in abducting the child from the maternal parent.
The affidavit goes on to say that the maternal parent filed a custody agreement with the courts of Denton County on January 28th. 2021. Investigators say that Fenton was not present at the custody hearing due to “absconding” with the child and sole custody was granted to the maternal parent. The previous court order filed in June of 2019 granted the suspect only supervised visits with the child.
“Due to the information the detectives from Denton County provided, it is believed the court paperwork for changing Corey’s name to Kakashi Kllula Ryu, was falsified to be able to allow Corey to travel to another county with the child,” a LCSO deputy stated in the affidavit. “Through my experience, I have encountered people changing their names in order to not be detected by law enforcement after the abduction of a person.”
Fenton made his initial appearance in Laramie County Circuit Court on July 7th, 2021 to hear the felony charge of Kidnapping read to him. If convicted, Fenton could face up to 20 years in prison.
The child was placed into protective custody with the Department of Family Services, according to the affidavit.
All of those cited or arrested are presumed innocent until convicted in a court of law. Charges are subject to change following official filings from the Laramie County District Attorney’s Office.
