Former Laramie City Council candidate Paul Montoya has avoided a conviction around allegations that he disabled Wyoming Public Radio’s transmitters in late 2022 while serving as the station’s Director of Engineering and host of Wyoming Sounds.
Montoya was accused of remotely disabling WPR’s operations in October 2022 and later tampering with its radio tower east of Laramie. A University of Wyoming Police affidavit cited reports of Montoya being “severely angry” with WPR and having a strained relationship with its leadership at the time of the incidents.
That affidavit from Detective Andrew Vielhak alleged that Montoya, “remotely logged into a desktop workstation computer that operates WPR’s radio transmissions, including radio towers, broadcasting technology and equipment and other WPR functions,” in October and November 2022.
Montoya maintained his innocence, stating he was performing routine job duties rather than attempting to disrupt Wyoming Public Radio’s operations. He also pointed to a “hostile” work environment, which he says led to his retirement. Montoya worked at Wyoming Public Radio from 2015 to 2023 and was previously the owner and general manager of Cheyenne’s KJJL and KWY from 1994 to 2005.
WPR operates a network of 26 broadcasting sites, covering 90% of the Equality State.
The case also had political implications, as it was ongoing during Montoya’s campaign for a Laramie City Council seat. He questioned the timing of the charges, filed nearly a year after the incident, suggesting they were politically motivated after his critiques of Laramie City Council administration. While Montoya advanced from the primary election, he finished third in the general election.
Paul Montoya originally faced two felony charges, but one was dropped early in the case, and the remaining charge of computer trespassing was reduced to a misdemeanor in November, to which he pleaded no contest. He was sentenced to one year of unsupervised probation, no fine, and $370 in court fees.
