Aneth man sentenced to 108 months in prison for crimes related to shooting at law enforcement agents

Cecil T. Vijil Jr., age 39 of Aneth, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison after being convicted of assaulting an FBI Special Agent and a San Juan County Sheriff’s Deputy with a dangerous weapon within Indian Country.
Vijil was sentenced to an additional twelve months in prison for escaping from federal custody during his pre-trial detention in Cache County, UT. After his release from federal prison, Vijil has been ordered to serve five years of supervised release.
According to allegations contained in a federal complaint, Vijil opened fire on an FBI Special Agent and a San Juan County Sheriff’s Deputy with an AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle on the afternoon of April 30, 2020 at a home in Aneth.
The FBI agent and the Sheriff’s Deputy had gone to Vijil ’s home to question him about his involvement in an incident where he allegedly shot at a store in Mexican Hat earlier the same day.
Upon their arrival to his home, Vijil exited his home and shot several rounds from the rifle that were directed at the vehicle being driven by the Sheriff’s Deputy and the FBI agent.
The incident triggered a multi-state manhunt. Vijil was arrested on May 3, 2020 as he was walking along Highway 491 near Towoac, CO on the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation. He was arrested without incident by a Bureau of Indian Affairs Officer.
In the plea agreement, Vijil admitted that he forcibly assaulted FBI Special Agent Rachel Butler while the agent was engaged in the performance of her official duties by shooting at the agent with a rifle.
Vijil also admitted that he shot at San Juan County Sheriff’s Deputy Corey Workman within the geographical boundaries of Indian Country and that he intended to do harm to Workman.
Vijil also admitted that he escaped from the Cache County Jail while being held in federal pre-trial custody on charges related to shooting at the FBI Special Agent and Sheriff’s Deputy.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
The case was investigated by Special Agents from the FBI, the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, Utah Highway Patrol, Navajo Nation Police Department, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Towoac, CO.