Andrea Rosebrock 
The shocking shooting of the Barboza family’s dog, buddy, in November by Teton County Sheriff’s Deputy Joseph Gutierrez is being investigated by the Idaho state attorney general’s office.
Gutierrez came the family’s home, had Leo Barboza tie Buddy to a tree in the front then proceeded to shoot the poor defenseless dog three time with a shotgun, once in the head and twice in the neck.
This is not the only incident under investigation either regarding the Teton County deputies. Two other deputies in the department are also under investigation.
“There’s a growing discontent about the level of performance generally,” Reid Rogers, president of the Teton Valley Chamber of Commerce, told the Post Register.
Rogers said tourists have threatened to cancel trips to the vacation area over the Nov. 12 shooting of the 5-year-old black Labrador retriever mix named Bobby, which survived, and that others are reconsidering planned moves to the area.
It seems that, regarding the shot dogs, Buddy, there had been four complaints that the dog had mauled. In investigating the complaints it turns out the they come from a woman who is notorious “for making false reports and going around the neighborhood and taking dogs off their leashes and taking them home.”
“Never been a problem; a very friendly pet,” Barboza’s lawyer, Joshua Garner said. “It’s a dog all the neighbor kids like to play with,” adding that the dog had never bit anyone.
Idaho law allows a dog one bite without consequence, but after a second bite, a court can order a dog be destroyed.
“Not only did Bobby not get one free bite, it’s our position that he didn’t bite anyone at all and that Teton County didn’t follow its policy on how to handle dog complaints,” Garner said.
Amazingly, the dog survived the shooting. After Buddy was shot, Barboza’s father-in-law had to be taken tot he hospital because of a panic attack due to the stress. When the family arrived back home they found that Buddy had crawled to the porch and they immediately took him to the vet.
o avoid a conflict of interest, Teton County Prosecutor Bart Birch asked Attorney General Lawrence Wasden to decide whether Gutierrez should face criminal charges.
The Tri-County Sheriff’s Association, a group of law enforcement agencies from around the state, conducted an initial investigation and recommended last month that charges be filed against Gutierrez.
That recommendation has been sent to Wasden.
In unrelated matters, the actions of two other Teton County deputies are also being scrutinized.
Deputy Nate Froehlich has been suspended without pay amid allegations of insurance fraud from an incident that took place before he was hired. Bob Cooper, a spokesman for the attorney general, said Froehlich has been charged with one count of insurance fraud and has a trial scheduled for Feb. 2.
Froehlich’s brother, Deputy Matt Froehlich, faces accusations of abuse of police power while working for the sheriff’s office. He has not been suspended, and Cooper declined to say whether Matt Froehlich is also being investigated by the attorney general. (Casper Star Tribune)
Sounds like a rather scary place to live if you ask me! That is one Sheriff’s department that needs a total clean out and start all over again. Hopefully they will and hopefully Buddy and the Barboza’s will get some justice from the guerrilla tactics employed by Gutierrez and he will have to pay for his actions!
POS SOB CAN HIS BLOODY ARES ALONG WITH THE REST OF THEM. I WOULD NEVER EVER SIE MY DO TO A TREE JUST BECAUSE A BLOODY COP TOLD ME TO. THIS TOWN NEEDS SOME MAJOR CLENUP.