Authorities in at least seven counties in Arizona and New Mexico are looking into a series of vandalism acts on private and federal lands that they say are politically motivated.
The suspects have cut holes in water lines and livestock tanks, damaged cattle fences and gates, and spray-painted buildings with political messages on national forest land.
“It all started in June, but as we started getting the word out, ranchers came up and said this happened,” said Catron County, New Mexico’s Sheriff Keith Hughes.
The incidents seem to be random across county and state lines, Hughes told The Epoch Times.
In New Mexico, the Republican Party of Sierra County posted on Facebook that the majority of vandalism incidents involve property damage to water systems, fences, and gates on both private and public land.
“It appears that several individuals are involved and damage is being spread out over a vast area,” the post added.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, vandalizing federal property valued at more than $100 can lead to fines of up to $250,000, a maximum of 10 years in prison, or both penalties.
“The main target has been our ranching community and U.S. Forest Service property,” Hughes said.
“We have had wells and water systems sabotaged, damage to gates and fences, graffiti, and even gates on water lots being closed, which keeps livestock from obtaining water.”
“They will stand all day long—however long it takes for the rancher to check on them.”
In one incident, someone spray-painted the side of an outbuilding with the words, “My Heroes Have Always Killed Cowboys.”
Other times, culprits have sealed gate padlocks shut with super glue, he said.
Hughes said that local law enforcement is working closely with the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to identify suspects.
“These acts of eco-terrorism are widespread across the area and have happened at random locations and times,” he said.
The investigation has confirmed multiple individuals are involved, Hughes said.
Acts of vandalism have been reported in Apache and Greenlee counties in Arizona, as well as in Catron, Cibola, Grant, and Sierra counties in New Mexico.
He said that law enforcement has increased its presence in the remote areas of Catron County, New Mexico’s largest county at nearly 7,000 square miles, which borders Arizona.
Hughes said that law enforcement has identified two suspects and is currently working to place them at various locations where incidents occurred.
“We arrested a man out of Nevada who was calling elected officials here and making threats in line with these incidents,“ he said. ”However, I don’t believe he has any ties to what is going on now.”
Meanwhile, law enforcement is uncertain whether these incidents have ended or could “explode tomorrow,” he said.
Hughes said that the investigation is ongoing, and law enforcement is urging residents to report any suspicious activity and local damage, regardless of the circumstances.
The Epoch Times has contacted the Forest Service.
