On Wednesday, August 21, 2024, the Supreme Court of Wyoming issued an order of disbarment against attorney Samuel W. Cantrell. The disbarment resulted from Cantrell’s guilty plea to two counts of second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse in Davis County, Utah.
The case is entitled “Board of Professional Responsibility Wyoming State Bar v. Samuel W. Cantrell,” with case no. D-24-0003.
The disbarment order from the Wyoming high court adopted the findings and recommendation from a report filed in August 2024 by the Wyoming State Bar’s Board of Professional Responsibility. According to the report, in July 2021 Cantrell was charged in Utah with three felony and misdemeanor counts related to allegations of sexual assault or conduct involving a minor. He eventually pleaded guilty to two counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony, and was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 48 months probation.
At the time of the criminal conduct, he was employed as general counsel for a company in Utah. He self-reported his guilty plea to the Wyoming State Bar in October 2023.
The report reviewed Cantrell’s criminal conduct and guilty plea as clear and convincing evidence that he violated Wyoming Rule of Professional Conduct 8.4(b), which prohibits committing a criminal act that reflects adversely on a lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer. The report considered aggravating factors such as the vulnerability of the victim and that Cantrell’s acts were illegal. It noted some mitigating factors such as his lack of prior discipline and his cooperation with the disciplinary process.
Given the serious nature of Cantrell’s crimes, the report recommended he be disbarred. The Wyoming Supreme Court’s order officially disbarred Cantrell effective immediately.
According to avvo.com, Mr. Cantrell is an attorney in Salt Lake City, Utah. He acquired his law license in Wyoming in 2003.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
