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LAS CRUCES - Four Las Cruces teens were jailed Sunday after a weekend vandalism spree that targeted at least 230 homes and vehicles before coming to an end after the teens allegedly fired at an off-duty federal agent.
The four are accused of shooting paintballs and marbles, damaging homes and vehicles in the High Range and Sonoma Ranch neighborhoods, according to LCPD Spokesman Dan Trujillo. Trujillo said calls were still coming in and the investigation remains open. The teens have admitted to targeting at least 230 homes and vehicles over the weekend, he said. Damage estimates are still being calculated.
Monday, residents were cleaning off the paint, and had a few suggestions for dealing with the alleged vandals.
"We woke up in the morning (Sunday) and there was paint on the window," said Kristin Dovalina, one of many homeowners on Palm Canyon who were targeted. "Fortunately, it was still wet and we wiped it off."
Dovalina, who has lived in the 1900 block of Palm Canyon for about a year, said the scofflaws should be assigned to graffiti removal as a form of compensation. And, if they have broken windows, "that's another matter. They should pay for the damages and take responsibility for their actions."
Dovalina was not alone. Throughout the weekend Las Cruces police received numerous calls of vandalism involving the use of paintball guns. Windows to hundreds of homes and vehicles were found to be damaged by either paintballs or marbles. Most of the calls came from
The situation came to a climax Sunday evening, when the personal vehicle of an off-duty Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agent was struck by a paintball as he was driving with his family. The ATF agent called police and followed the vehicle from where the paintball was shot, a white Honda Civic, to the Pic Quik store on Bataan Memorial East at Sonoma Ranch Boulevard.
LCPD officers arrived at that location and detained the four teenagers.
Christopher Lee Molina, 18, Dustin Holtsberry, 17, and 16-year-olds Patrick Wilson and Devon Rehberg were arrested Sunday evening. Molina is charged with contributing to the delinquency of minors and is being held at the Do-a Ana County Detention Center, with bond set at $5,000.
Holsberry, Wilson and Rehberg were each charged with criminal damage to property and conspiracy. Additional charges are pending, as Las Cruces Police are continuing to receive more calls of vandalism.
A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed four paintball guns and approximately 4,000 rounds of ammunition. Detectives allege that the teenagers targeted as many as 230 homes and vehicles during the weekend.
Bob Sheets, who has called the 1900 block of Palm Canyon home for more than seven years, said he cleaned his home up Sunday after the attack and said those responsible are "nothing more than malicious juveniles."
"I don't know why they do it," he added. "I'd put them on probation, let's say six months, and have their mother or father report to the juvenile detention office."
Sheets said the teens should "come to the people they've hit and apologize."
Anyone with more information, or anyone who wishes to report similar incidents of vandalism, is asked to call police at (575) 526-0795.
Sun-News photographer Norm Dettlaff contributed to this story.
Jason Gibbs can be reached at 541-5451.
