Tucson Region

Lawsuit targets gun-toting rancher

A Douglas rancher known for armed patrols of his property and roundups of illegal border crossers is being sued by two families who claim he threatened them with a loaded rifle last month as they hunted on state land. The families, American citizens, do not ask for specific damages in a lawsuit filed Friday in Cochise County Superior Court against Roger Barnett. But they have notified the court that they want a jury trial and will seek damages in excess of $200,000 for the October incident. They have also authorized their Tucson attorney, Jesus Romo, to file a federal civil rights complaint against Cochise County and the state of Arizona if those governments fail to take action against Barnett. The Cochise County Sheriff's Department investigated the initial complaint. Earlier this month the department sent a report to Cochise County Attorney Chris Roll, citing Barnett on eight felony counts of aggravated assault, five misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and five misdemeanor counts of threatening and intimidation. Roll could not be reached for comment on Monday. His office continues to review the charges, according to Carol Capas, a spokeswoman for the Cochise County Sheriff's Department. Ronald Morales said the confrontation happened near Saddle Gap in the Perilla Mountains about seven miles northeast of Douglas on Oct. 30, while he was hunting with his father, Arturo Morales, and his daughters Angelique, 9, and Venese, 11. A friend of the older daughter, Emma English, 11, was with the Morales family. The families claim Roger Barnett screamed that they were on private property and chambered a round in an AR-15 assault rifle, then pointed the gun at the group and ordered them off "his" land. Morales said he and his father believed at the time that they were hunting on state land - which has since been confirmed by the Cochise County's Sheriff's Department. He said the group left after Barnett threatened to shoot and kill them if they refused to leave. Barnett, who owns a propane sales and towing business in Sierra Vista, did not return phone calls Monday to his business or to his home in the Hereford area.