Two men, both felons, were arrested in a Denver Mountain Park after a park ranger heard gun shots and contacted the pair, who were allegedly engaged in target shooting with a handgun.

The incident happened about 4:45 p.m. Sept. 21 in O’Fallon Park, near Evergreen, and both men — who face multiple charges, including a felony — have court dates in Jefferson County this week.

Jamie Dean Martinez, 45, faces a misdemeanor child abuse count in the case for bringing his young daughter with him to the park on the day of the incident. She was “in her car seat” while Martinez fired a Glock at a target he had placed on a nearby park sign, according to an arrest affidavit in the case.

Martinez told the park ranger he was testing the laser on the gun, the affidavit said. He surrendered the weapon to the ranger without incident.

Also at the park with Martinez was 54-year-old Carl Joe Saiz. Saiz said he had not fired the weapon.

It is illegal to shoot a firearm in a Denver Mountain Park.

Both men admitted to drinking that day and both consented to taking a preliminary breath test, given by Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies who were called to the scene by the ranger, to check blood alcohol levels. Martinez registered a .187 and Saiz a .189, numbers which indicate both men had consumed several drinks over the course of the day.

The target Martinez was shooting at was in the foreground of a river frequented by fishermen, according to the affidavit.

Martinez told a deputy that he owns the Glock. Martinez also said he knew it was illegal for him to possess a weapon because of past felony convictions, including first-degree murder in North Carolina in 1997 and second-degree murder in North Carolina in 1998, according to the affidavit. Martinez told investigators his parole in the North Carolina cases expired in 2010. Martinez has no prior arrests in Colorado, according to records.

Saiz’s criminal history includes a felony drug conviction in Colorado in 1996 and an aggravated burglary conviction in Kansas in 1994. He has a lengthy arrest record in Colorado.

Martinez, who faces seven misdemeanor charges in the case, including reckless endangerment and criminal mischief, is free after posting a $5,000 bail on Sept. 23, according to court records. Martinez has a court hearing scheduled on Tuesday.

Saiz, who remains in the Jefferson County Jail on a $15,000 bail, according to court records, is also scheduled for a Tuesday court appearance.

Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822, knicholson@denverpost.com or @kierannicholson