SALT LAKE CITY — Two men accused of using BB guns to shoot out windows on cars and homes earlier this year have been charged with criminal mischief.
Curtis G. Ellefsen, 18, and Ricardo David Vega, 20, were charged Monday in 3rd District Court with 21 counts each of criminal mischief — one second-degree felony, 10 third-degree felonies and 10 class A misdemeanors.
Ellefsen and Vega are accused of shooting out windows on more than 20 homes and vehicles in Salt Lake County on Feb 16.
Police at the time said more than 100 residents over a 20-square-mile area in Kearns, West Valley City and West Jordan were affected.
The two told police they were bored and decided to "have some fun," opting to shoot out some windows belonging to someone they didn't like, charges state. When they couldn't find his house, they settled on shooting at vehicles in the neighborhood where they thought he lived, charges state.
A West Valley City police officer who stopped Vega's car on Feb. 16 for a traffic violation said he recognized them as matching the description of the men who had been damaging property in the area, according to court documents.
Upon receiving consent and searching the vehicle, the officer located four BB guns and several hundred BBs, charges state.
Ellefsen later told police he shot at about 50 vehicles and that he also shot at vehicles in Magna one week earlier, charges state.
Vega also told police he had shot at the vehicles, and others in the car had participated as well. Police at the time arrested four juveniles in addition to Ellefsen and Vega.
Repairs to the damaged windows ranged between $100 and $1,000, according to the charges.
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