The Natrona County Sheriff's Office announced on Tuesday that a Natrona County couple will spend decades behind bars for their involvement in a child sex case involving multiple juveniles and hidden cameras.

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That's according to a press release from the NCSO who wrote that, on Wednesday, June 22, 2022 in District Court of the Seventh Judicial District with Judge Daniel Forgey presiding, Zabrina Thornton was sentenced to 5-10 years in prison after an Alford Plea plea agreement was reached, for two counts of Conspiracy to Commit Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the 3rd Degree.

That verdict comes just three months after her boyfriend, Samuel Rosamond, was sentenced by Judge Forgey to 38-50 years in prison for 1st Degree Sexual Abuse of a Minor.

According to the release from the NCSO, in late June of 2021, Natrona County Sheriff's Office Investigators were contacted by the Wyoming DCI (Division of Criminal Investigation) Internet Crimes Against children (ICAC) Computer Crimes Team (CCT). The team, located in Cheyenne, Wyoming, approached the NCSO with a CyberTip that was received by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

Drew Cotton, an investigator with the Natrona County Sheriff's Office and an ICAC affiliate on the Computer Crimes Team was assigned the case.

"The CyberTip was in reference to several files depicting child sex assault material (CSAM) that NCMEC analysts believed were produced by a Google account holder," the press release stated. "Based on information provided in the CyberTip, along with corroborated local law enforcement database information, the images were believed to originate from Google account holder, 49-year-old Natrona County, Wyoming resident Samuel Rosamond."

The release stated that Natrona County Sheriff's Investigators and DCI ICAC Agents made contact with both Rosamond and Thornton near a home that the couple shared in Natrona County.

On June 25th, 2021,  the pair were interviewed separately at the Natrona County Sheriff's Office.

"During the interview, Rosamond confessed to Investigators that on at least one occasion he sexually assaulted a juvenile in the home, and that during the occasion he recorded several video files with his cellphone," the release revealed. "Rosamond denied Thornton’s knowledge or involvement of any abuse. Based upon the evidence and confession, Samuel Rosamond was placed under arrest by Natrona County Sheriff’s Office Investigators."

The release stated that NCSO Investigators also spoke with Zabrina Thornton in a separate, concurrent interview, where she denied any knowledge or involvement in the abuse perpetrated by Rosamond.

She was released from the interview.

However, NCSO Investigators and DCI ICAC Special Agents continued with their investigation and executed a search warrant of the home shared by Rosamond and Thornton, as well as Rosamond's work vehicle.

"During the execution, Investigators and Agents located numerous items of evidence, including cellular phones, laptop computers, and four cameras," the release stated. "The cameras were disguised to appear as clock radios, and were placed in four different rooms of the residence, three of which were bedrooms. ICAC CCT analysts conducted data extraction and analysis on the evidence collected from the residence and vehicle."

According to the release, NCSO Investigators were contacted by a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Forensic Analyst (FA) on July 15, 2021 regarding several "images of concern" that the analyst believed were captured by the hidden clock cameras found in the home.

The release revealed that the images depicted Rosamond and Thornton engaged in sexual acts, in which juveniles were present.

"With the assistance of a Wyoming Department and Family Services Investigator, the children in the home were immediately placed in protective custody due to NCSO Investigator’s concerns of Thornton’s involvement in Rosamond’s abuse," the release stated.

The release noted that Thornton was interviewed again by NCSO Investigators. This time, she confessed to "participating in sex acts with Rosamond and juveniles in the home, on multiple occasions."

"Based on the information gathered throughout the course of the investigation, specifically statements made by Rosamond and Thornton, Investigators believed that both parties participated in sex acts with a juvenile involved," the release stated. "Ultimately, Thornton was arrested."

On November 5, 2021, as part of a plea agreement, Samuel Rosamond plead guilty in District Court to one count of 1st Degree Sexual Abuse of a Minor. He was sentenced on March 4, 2022. Thornton was sentenced on June 22, 2022 to 5-10 years in prison, as part of an Alford Plea.

The NCSO wrote that they would like to acknowledge the team work between various agencies, including the Wyoming DCI ICAC Computer Crimes Team, "for their dedication to ensuring the safety of Wyoming children." The NCSO wrote that the team's assistance to the sheriff's office is crucial to continue "effective response to technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and internet crimes against children."

“We continue to urge our community members to report child abuse to law enforcement. Disclosures lead to diligent investigations and uncover pervasive problems,” said Natrona County Sheriff John Harlin. “Professional partnerships like this work together to ensure that sexual predators in our community have nowhere to hide.”

The NCSO wrote that if you or someone you know is the victim of child sexual abuse, you should contact local law enforcement.

"You can help a child who comes forward to report abuse by believing the child and reporting the abuse to law enforcement and social services," the NCSO wrote.

K2 Radio News has reached out to the Natrona County Sheriff's Office in regards to the ages of the victims, as well as their relationship to the convicted. We will update this article if/when more information is presented.

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