Two young men are now facing charges in connection to the shooting deaths and injury of three cattle in Montrose County.
The Montrose County Sheriff’s Office says the shooting happened in late December on Bureau of Land Management land where the animals graze. Two cattle were killed and another was injured, but is expected to survive.
Nineteen-year-old Jevon Vigil is charged with four counts in connection with the case including two class four felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals. Each count carries a sentence of up to six years and a fine ranging from $2,000 to $500,000.
Vigil is also charged with criminal mischief, which is a class five felony and carries a sentence between one and three years behind bars and a fine ranging from $1,000 to $100,000.
The fourth charge is cruelty to animals which is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in jail, a $1,000 fine or a combination of both.
If given the maximum penalty for all four counts, Vigil could face a sentence of 16 years and fines totaling more than $1 million.
Montrose County Sheriff Sergeant Chuck Searcy said the two cattle killed would likely have produced calves in the future, marking a significant loss for the rancher’s business overall. The injured cow was also carrying a calf. While she is expected to survive, it’s unclear if the offspring will make it.
“This hits home a lot more. It's not just the loss of the cattle, it's that people are just killing animals to kill animals,” Searcy said.
Photos from Vigil’s Facebook page indicate he is a deer hunter.
“I do know that sometimes this happens, sometimes people with firearms up in the mountains, hunters, it's not uncommon for somebody to have taken a shot at a cow or something just for the joy of doing that,” said Todd Inglee, Colorado’s State Brand Commissioner. “But, there's not really any good explanation behind what makes people do that.”
Twenty-year-old Leeland Hernandez is also charged with criminal mischief in the case, though he is not accused of killing the animals.
Vigil will be back in court Jan. 23. He has until then to find representation for his case.
