In most states it is a criminal offense (statutory rape) to have sexual intercourse with a person under the age of consent—which is usually between 16 and 18 years of age. These laws are premised on the belief that a person under the age of consent is not capable of giving informed consent to sexual intercourse—even if the person was a willing participant.

Statutory rape may be prosecuted as a misdemeanor offense or as a felony offense—depending on the state’s laws and the ages and circumstances of the sexual activity. Statutory rape laws are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

But many states recognize a defense to such a criminal offense if the persons engaged in the sexual activity were close in age—within three years, for example—provided the persons were at least 14 years of age, for example. These laws are sometimes called Romeo-and-Juliet laws, and are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

In Wyoming, the age of consent is 17 years old, which means that it is a criminal offense to have sexual intercourse with a person under this age, as they are not legally capable of giving informed consent. This is considered statutory rape. The severity of the charge can vary from a misdemeanor to a felony, depending on factors such as the ages of the individuals involved and the specific circumstances of the sexual activity. Wyoming does have a 'Romeo and Juliet' law, which provides a defense to statutory rape if the individuals are close in age. Specifically, if the offender is under the age of 19 or attending high school, and the victim is at least 15 years old, the sexual conduct may be exempt from statutory rape charges. This close-in-age exemption is designed to prevent the prosecution of consensual sexual activities between teenagers in a peer group. These laws are codified in Wyoming's statutes, particularly within the criminal or penal code.