A criminal conspiracy is generally a partnership formed to commit a crime or crimes. A criminal conspiracy exists when two or more persons form an agreement to violate a law that includes criminal penalties, and then take one or more steps designed to accomplish the goal of the conspiracy.

Federal and state statutes make criminal conspiracies illegal for two primary purposes: (1) to help combat the powerful forces created when two or more people collaborate to commit a crime; and (2) to allow criminal prosecutors (state and federal) to prosecute persons who play a role in planning a crime but who are not involved in the physical acts taken to complete the underlying crime.

For example, under federal law, if two or more persons conspire either to commit any offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States, or any agency of the United States in any manner or for any purpose, and one or more of such persons do any act to accomplish the objective of the conspiracy, each of the conspirators may be fined under and imprisoned for up to five years. See 18 U.S.C. §371. And most states have statutes (usually located in the penal or criminal code) that make criminal conspiracies a crime and include significant punishment upon conviction.

In Wyoming, criminal conspiracy is defined under Wyoming Statutes § 1-3-105. It is considered a criminal conspiracy when two or more persons agree to engage in or cause the performance of conduct which constitutes a crime. The agreement itself is the crime, and it is not necessary for the actual crime to be completed for the conspiracy to be prosecuted. The statute also requires an overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy, which means that at least one of the conspirators must take a concrete step towards the completion of the crime, beyond mere planning or discussion. Penalties for conspiracy in Wyoming vary depending on the crime that was the object of the conspiracy, with the punishment typically mirroring that of the intended crime. This aligns with the dual purposes of conspiracy laws: to dismantle the collaborative effort to commit crimes and to hold accountable those involved in the planning stages. At the federal level, as per 18 U.S.C. § 371, a conspiracy to commit any offense against the United States or to defraud the United States carries a penalty of fines and imprisonment for up to five years. Both state and federal laws reflect a commitment to prosecuting not only the perpetrators of the physical acts of crime but also those who contribute to the criminal scheme through planning and agreement.