A Larimer County man pleads guilty to killing his neighbor’s livestock

A larimer county man charged with shooting and killing his neighbors’ livestock while driving around in a personal all-terrain vehicle in April, he struck a deal and pleaded guilty last week, according to court records.

Michael Hester, 37, pleaded guilty Friday to three counts of aggravated animal cruelty and three counts of animal theft — all felonies — as part of a deal, court records show. The plea deal dropped 12 additional charges of aggravated animal cruelty, animal theft, shooting from a public road and trespassing from Hester’s case.

Hester faces a prison sentence of two to six years on each charge and a fine of up to $500,000.

The 37 year old was April arrested after several of his neighbors filed police reports alleging he shot at their livestock while driving an all-terrain vehicle, also known as a side-by-side.

Officers with search warrants found seven dead cattle belonging to two neighbors, along with a seriously injured eighth cow that had to be euthanized.

Colorado’s Open Range Law allows ranchers to allow animals to graze freely.