Layton activist pleads guilty to mink-farm raid

A 23-year-old Layton man who was charged with damaging and interfering with animal enterprises after he and another man were accused of raiding local mink farms pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to one of the raids. William James Viehl was indicted on two counts of damaging and interfering with the operations of an animal enterprise in March after he and Ogden resident Alex Jason Hall, 21, raided one mink farm in South Jordan and attempted a second raid on a similar farm in Heber, said U.S. Attorney spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch.

The raid to which Viehl pleaded guilty took place at the McMullin mink farm in South Jordan in August 2008. Rydalch said the raid consisted of releasing minks and spray-painting parts of the farm, including a barn. She said the plea agreement "stated the damage and loss to real and personal property at the farm exceeded $10,000."

In a statement released Thursday, U.S. Attorney Brett Tolman said that while the government respects the beliefs and opinions of activist groups, prosecutors will take "aggressive action" when it comes to criminal actions.

"Regardless of your opinion, the fur industry is lawful and provides income for many Utah families. The law protects them, plain and simple. We all rely on the rule of law to protect us, our opinions and our lawful ventures. Criminal acts targeting businesses in the dark of night are not going to be tolerated in our communities," Tolman said.

The Animal Liberation Front said it was responsible for the August raid, suggesting that the two men indicted for that raid may be animal-rights activists associated with that group.

Viehl and Hall both originally pleaded not guilty to the charges, and Hall's case is currently ongoing. Sentencing in Viehl's case is scheduled for Nov. 12.

e-mail: emorgan@desnews.com