EVERETT, Wash. — An Everett man who pleaded guilty to three felony charges after neighbors reported him for shooting birds and squirrels around his property, along with shooting and seriously injuring a neighbor's cat, was sentenced on Thursday to three years of community custody for mental health treatment.
A Snohomish County Superior Court judge said if Blayne M. Perez violates the terms of community custody he will be sent to prison for three years and four months. The judge ordered Perez to pay $9,174 in restitution to the owners of a kitten that he shot in the eye and another $1,700 in fines. Perez also has a lifetime ban on possessing or residing with any animal, and he must not have contact with the kitten’s owners.
The charges stem from a neighbor's report to Everett police in January 2022 that Perez shot birds and squirrels and then displayed the dead animals around his property. Perez told law enforcement he displayed the carcasses in an attempt to keep the animals away from his home.
Prosecutors with the Attorney General's Office recommended that Perez serve a prison sentence of three years and four months. Perez was facing a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of animal cruelty and 10 years in prison for the count of first-degree malicious mischief.
“My office will not stand for cruelty to animals,” said Bob Ferguson, attorney general. “My office will help protect pets and wildlife through environmental criminal prosecutions like this one.”
A Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officer went to the neighborhood and observed Perez shooting into trees and into the sky from his property. Police served a search warrant on Perez' home in February 2022 and found many animal carcasses on display.
The Fish and Wildlife officer described Perez’s property as “the most disturbing and grotesque scene that he had encountered in his entire career.” according to court documents.
In April 2022, neighbors said Perez was continuing to shoot birds and squirrels around his neighborhood. Neighbors told police that many of them had removed their bird feeders in hopes of keeping other animals from getting killed.
A couple reported to Everett police that a man drove by their home and shot their cat in September 2022. A witness saw part of a license plate that corresponded with a car registered to Perez. Law enforcement had previously seen Perez driving a car that matched the witness's description. Perez was arrested later that day.
Sean and Sarah Moore said their cat was shot with a pellet. The cat had a fractured jaw and lost an eye, costing the Moores $15,000.
The couple got a good look at the car and told officers what it looked like. Police recognized the description because Perez had been on their radar for months.
"When the cops got here and we described what happened and the make and model of the car he said 'Oh I think I know who this is,'" Sean Moore said at the time.
Sarah Moore learned about some of the other crimes Perez was accused of when neighbors started posting on a community app.
“I saw him and yelled at him and chased his car so I'm thinking 'Omg, is he mad at me? Is he going to try to attack me?'" Sarah Moore said. "It was just super scary for a long time."