Rancher pleads guilty to assaulting federal officer

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Rancher pleads guilty to assaulting federal officer

Kit Laney


Last Update: 09/15/2004 4:02:03 PM
By: Associated Press


LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) - A southern New Mexico rancher pleaded guilty on Wednesday to assaulting or resisting a federal officer and obstructing a court order.

Kit Laney was arrested March 14 during a roundup of cattle belonging to him and his ex-wife on the Gila National Forest.

Authorities said he threatened to trample federal officers with his horse and tried to release some of the livestock. Laney did not have a permit to graze the cattle.

He was charged in federal court with eight counts including assault with a deadly weapon, assault on federal officers, and obstruction of justice. The remaining charges are to be dismissed at sentencing.

The convictions each carry a maximum penalty of up to a year in prison. But a spokesperson for the prosecutors says that under the agreement, Laney’s penalties will be on the low end.



(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

 

[JoseCuervo]

This guy did everything wrong that he could have possibly done. He ended up creating a bad situation, and then made it worse. What started out over grazing issues is now a jail term....

Not the brightest bulb on the Christmas Tree...