Casper Man Who Pointed Rifle at Officers Pleads No Contest

A Casper man is now not contesting charges that he pointed a rifle at officers back in July.

22-year-old Richard Ortega now faces up to five years in prison after changing a pair of guilty pleas to no contest pleas in Natrona County District Court on Wednesday. Ortega had been contesting a pair of possession of a deadly weapon with intent to harm another person charges.

Prosecutors say, back in July, Ortega pointed a rifle at officers as they were conducting an investigation on an unrelated matter at a nearby residence on Harrington Drive.

Ortega ran back into his home when police told him to drop his weapon. He later surrendered and said to police that he had been drinking and wasn’t going to shoot.

Ortega is currently free on $20,000 bond. Sentencing will be set for a later date.