Steven Shobert

Federal prosecutors say a Worland man illegally possessed a pistol that had been made fully automatic, multiple devices that can convert rifles into automatic weapons and an unregistered short-barreled rifle.

Steven H. Shobert was arraigned in Casper last week, pleading not guilty to felony counts of possession of a machine gun and possession of an unregistered firearm.

Shobert also continues to face a felony count of property destruction and misdemeanor charges in Park County District Court, which allege he drunkenly crashed into a Cody power pole and then left the scene on July 31; the crash resulted in some residents losing power for hours.

In the days leading up to the collision, court records say Shobert falsely claimed that a missing Worland woman was in his home and later drove to a Worland police officer’s home while intoxicated to show off a handgun he’d been carrying under his clothing.

A Washakie County sheriff’s deputy wrote in an affidavit that Shobert had “a significant history of contacts with law enforcement involving alcohol and firearms,” along with mental health crises and suicidal comments.

Shobert was arrested at the Worland officer’s home on July 27, but Circuit Court Judge Joey Darrah released him the following day so he could be treated for alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Shobert was supposed to return to the Worland jail after being discharged, but he did not, instead allegedly crashing into the Cody power pole on July 31. He allegedly failed sobriety tests, with testing placing his blood alcohol level at 0.12%, above the legal driving limit of 0.08%.

Following Shobert’s arrest in Cody, Darrah set the 48-year-old’s bond at $50,000 due to concerns over public safety; the judge also raised concerns about Shobert’s mental health.

Shobert served in the U.S. Navy and was in active combat. His defense attorney in the Park County case, Branden Vilos, wrote in an October filing that Shobert “suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder from his service to our country and [from] co-occurring substance abuse related to alcohol.”

Shobert remained in the Park County Detention Center until early November, when District Court Judge Bill Simpson allowed him to enter a residential mental health treatment program at the Veterans Affairs facility in Sheridan. That’s where Shobert was picked up by federal authorities on Dec. 5.

An indictment filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office days after Shobert’s arrival in Sheridan alleges he possessed “three AR-15 type machine gun conversion devices,” plus a 9mm Glock model 17 that had been modified with a “Glock switch.” According to the filing, the switch made the Glock capable of automatically firing multiple shots with a single pull of the trigger.

Additionally, prosecutors say Shobert failed to register an Aero Precision model M4E1 rifle that had a barrel less than 16 inches long.

The indictment doesn’t say where the weapons were found, but says Shobert possessed them on July 28. Records show that was the day he was released from the Worland jail to seek out medical treatment for “delirium tremors” related to alcohol withdrawal.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office asked the court to detain Shobert while his federal case is pending, citing the nature of the charges, a “serious risk” he’ll flee and public safety. At his Dec. 12 arraignment, Shobert agreed to remain in custody.

A trial is tentatively set for Jan. 29 in Casper before Chief U.S. District Judge Scott Skavdahl. Shobert has also pleaded not guilty in the Park County case, which remains on track for a separate trial in Cody.