Undersheriff Hughes began his career as a Peace Officer with the Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) in 1990. During the first 12 years of his career, he served in the duty stations of Wamsutter, Jackson, and Douglas. He held the positions of WHP Trooper, Field Training Officer, SFST Instructor, and Commercial Motor Carrier Trooper. In February 2003, he began serving as a WHP Division Lieutenant, first in Jackson and then in Douglas. In December 2014, he retired from the WHP and was hired by the Converse County Sheriff’s Office to develop a county size and weight program, and to continue serving as an instructor in his areas of expertise. Beginning in February 2017, he served as Interim-Undersheriff.  Sheriff Becker officially appointed Nate Hughes as Undersheriff in June 2017, filling the vacancy left by retiring Undersheriff Justin Scott.

Throughout his career, Undersheriff Hughes has been active in the enforcement of impaired driving and commercial vehicle laws. For over 25 years he has served as an instructor for Standardized Field Sobriety Testing and Drug Impairment Recognition, both around the state and at the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy. Undersheriff Hughes is a graduate of the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, School of Police Staff and Command.