John Ladd, who ranches on the east side of the San Pedro River and south of Highway 92, with his property along the border, said he was in Douglas on Sunday, meeting with other ranchers about the shooting death of friend Robert Krentz a day earlier.
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Saying Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever did a great job in handling the situation, Ladd said there are many unknowns which still need answering. He believes those answers will come out as the investigation continues.
Ladd’s property is along the border, so he faces a slightly different situation from the ranchers who are in the eastern part of the county. Illegal immigrants constantly are crossing onto his property, but with the fence up, it has somewhat stemmed the flow, he said.
Recently, he has seen more drugs coming onto his ranch and earlier this year his father, Jack, also a rancher, came across six illegal immigrants carrying drugs in backpacks, Ladd said.
The Border Patrol responded quickly, which was important because his father could see armed men on the Mexican side of the border, the son said.
On the other hand, in eastern Cochise County ranches are being used as a corridor by armed drug smugglers, the rancher said.
Ranchers are upset by the death of Krentz “but there’s no loose cannons among them,” Ladd said.
Many county ranchers have gone to Washington, D.C., to talk with federal authorities without any meaningful action being taken at the national level, he added.
No political party has reached out to really solve the problem, which includes Democratic and Republican administrations and at the time when Congress was in the hands of either Republicans or Democrats, Ladd said.
The bottom line is ranchers are wary of promises of help, he said.
“Ranchers are fearful for their lives and fearful for the safety of their families, and they will protect their property within the letter of American laws,” Ladd said.
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rswanson wrote on Apr 13, 2010 8:43 AM: