It is a criminal offense to make a false police report of a crime—knowingly and with the intent to deceive—if the statement is material to a criminal investigation and is made to (1) a peace officer or federal special investigator conducting the investigation; (2) any employee of a law enforcement agency that is authorized by the agency to conduct the investigation and that the person making the statement knows is conducting the investigation; or (3) a corrections officer or jailer.

The crime of making a false police report may be prosecuted as a misdemeanor or as a felony, depending on the state, and is punishable in many states by jail time, fines, community service, and probation. The definitions and punishments for the crime of making a false police report vary from state to state and are usually located in a state’s statutes.

In Wyoming, making a false police report is considered a criminal offense under Wyoming Statutes Section 6-5-211. A person is guilty of this offense if they knowingly make a false statement or report to law enforcement that a crime has been committed, knowing that it is false. This applies to statements made to peace officers, federal special investigators, law enforcement agency employees authorized to conduct the investigation, corrections officers, or jailers. The intent to deceive must be present, and the false statement must be material to the criminal investigation. The crime of making a false police report in Wyoming is typically prosecuted as a misdemeanor, which can result in penalties including jail time, fines, and probation. The severity of the punishment may vary depending on the circumstances of the case and the discretion of the court.