CRIME

No one injured in shooting at Kirtland residence, suspect held with no bond

Suspect was not allowed to have firearm, consume alcohol

Joshua Kellogg
Farmington Daily Times
  • Diontonie Pinto, 21, is accused of a fourth-degree felony count of shooting at a dwelling or occupied building along with petty misdemeanor counts of negligent use of a deadly weapon and unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon, according to the criminal complaint.
  • Shellie Patscheck, Pinto's attorney, said her client maintains his innocence and looks forward to a full and complete investigation in this matter.
  • Pinto waived his preliminary hearing in Aztec District Court on Sept 3.

FARMINGTON — A Kirtland man is being held without bond at the county jail after allegedly firing a gun while intoxicated at a residence occupied by multiple people.

Diontonie Pinto, 21, is accused of discharging a black handgun at a residence on County Road 6474 in Kirtland on the night of Aug. 26, according to the probable cause statement.

The suspect faces a fourth-degree felony count of shooting at a dwelling or occupied building along with petty misdemeanor counts of negligent use of a deadly weapon and unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon, according to the criminal complaint.

Shellie Patscheck, Pinto's attorney, said her client maintains his innocence and looks forward to a full and complete investigation in this matter.

A woman called dispatch around 8:44 p.m. on Aug. 26 stating she heard two gunshots and her neighbor also heard the shots.

She called again around 8:58 p.m., stating she found an apparent bullet hole on the bottom of her front door.

The bullet went through the front door, through a living room table and lodged itself into the carpet in the living room. San Juan County Sheriff's Office deputies handled the investigation.

A live round was found in the driveway with a set of shoe impressions near the round and along the dirt road on County Road 6474.

Several occupants of the residence were interviewed, including a man who identified Pinto as the possible suspect. He told police he had "quarrels" with Pinto about two years earlier.

The vehicle in which Pinto was a passenger was pulled over for a traffic stop by New Mexico State Police after the vehicle hit speeds in excess of 100 mph.

Diontonie Pinto

Pinto, a passenger in the rear seat, covered a black handgun tucked into his waistband with his hand.

When an officer saw the firearm, everyone was ordered out of the vehicle. The black handgun was sitting on the floorboard and a magazine was found on the back seat.

Pinto refused to show deputies the bottoms of his shoes and smelled like the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage.

The defendant also voluntarily told deputies "you know you can't just arrest someone for shooting, right?"

Deputies had not asked Pinto about a shooting, according to court documents.

District Court Judge Curtis Gurley ordered Pinto be held without bond at the San Juan County Adult Detention Center during a Sept. 2 hearing.

Gurley noted that there is strong circumstantial evidence that Pinto committed the alleged crimes and that he was not allowed to have a firearm or consume alcohol as part of his conditions of release in a separate battery case.

Gurley also wrote Pinto's actions showed a lack of regard for the safety of the people in the residence he allegedly shot at.

Pinto waived his preliminary hearing in Aztec District Court on Sept 3.

Joshua Kellogg covers breaking news for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4627 or via email at jkellogg@daily-times.com.

Support local journalism with a digital subscription: http://bit.ly/2I6TU0e