- Enrique Valdez was charged Tuesday with shooting at his neighbor's livestock in Utah County.
- Valdez faces multiple charges, including firearm possession by a restricted person.
- Police reported finding marijuana, alcohol and fired casings.
FAIRFIELD, Utah County — Police say an intoxicated man walked onto his neighbor's property and started shooting at his livestock in Fairfield last week.
Enrique Valdez, 26, was charged Tuesday in 4th District Court with possession, purchase or transfer of a firearm by a restricted person, a second-degree felony; possession of a weapon with criminal intent, a class A misdemeanor; improper discharge of a weapon, property damage or destruction, and possession or use of marijuana, class B misdemeanors; and intoxication, a class C misdemeanor.
On June 8, Valdez entered his neighbor's Fairfield property without permission and shot in the direction of the neighbor's two cows, two horses and more than 10 goats, a police booking affidavit states.
"When the neighbor confronted (Valdez) with the camera that had captured (Valdez's) actions, (Valdez) shot out the camera," police said.
Utah County sheriff's deputies arrived and surrounded the property. Valdez was thought to be in an isolated part of the ranch and, given that he was intoxicated and had access to firearms, more deputies were called to help, the affidavit states.
Valdez, who was in a trailer on the ranch, was taken into custody without incident. Deputies then searched the trailer with a warrant and reported finding a small bag of marijuana and several fired casings from different firearms inside the trailer and near the trailer.
There were also several alcohol containers in the trailer. After a breath test, Valdez had a breath-alcohol content of 0.157, more than three times the legal limit of 0.05, the affidavit alleges.
Valdez told the deputies that he knew he had messed up and that he felt he had to do it because "they" had killed his dog. When asked by deputies if he shot at any of the animals, Valdez said "no," and if he wanted to he could have "smoked" them, according to the arrest report.
Police asked that he be held without bail as they say he is in the country illegally and has been deported multiple times.
Police noted Valdez has had "various firearms charges, alcohol offenses, and drug offenses."
