Big Springs horse abusers sentenced

CALIFORNIA -- Five Big Springs residents who were arrested in July on animal cruelty charges stemming from allegations that they abused and neglected their three horses and buried one alive pleaded guilty and were immediately sentenced last week in the Siskiyou County Superior Court.
    
The five family members – Benigno Leon Villegas Sr., 65; Maria Del Carmen Franco-Dominguez, 47; Benigno Eduardo Villegas Jr., 24; Alma Rosa Villegas, 22; and Esmeralda Villegas Franco, 25 – were charged following grand jury indictments.     

According to a press release issued by the Siskiyou County District Attorney’s Office, each  defendant convicted of animal cruelty was placed on probation for three years and three of them were ordered to serve some time in the county jail.     

Representatives from the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) stated that the investigation began in March. The defendants’ neighbor reported to authorities that she had witnessed them depriving the animals of food and water and abusing them.      

The witness told the Daily News that ultimately, the defendants tied a screaming yearling with rope and dragged him 30 yards to a shallow grave that they had dug.

The witness stated that the mare, who had given birth to the yearling less than a year earlier, could also be heard screaming. She said she videotaped the incident for proof, and she gave it to authorities.  
   
When authorities responded to the scene, the yearling was deceased. They attempted to rescue the mare, but due to her severely emaciated condition, she had to be euthanized, stated the SCSO. A gelding was successfully rescued.     

The defendants entered the following pleas last week:

• Villegas Sr. pled guilty to one count of cruelty to an animal and he was ordered to serve 60 days in county jail;
• Dominguez pled guilty to a felony and misdemeanor count of cruelty to an animal and she was ordered to serve 60 days in jail;
• Alma Villegas pled guilty to a misdemeanor violation of cruelty to an animal and battery. The latter charge pertains to a physical altercation with the neighbor who witnessed the crimes, videotaped the horse burial, and turned it over to the prosecution. She previously served two days in county jail, and was not ordered to serve additional jail time;
• Franco pled guilty to a misdemeanor count of willful disturbance (which stemmed from another contact with the neighboring witness). She was charged for the violation but never arrested. She received a deferred entry of judgement, which means that no sentence was issued; and
• Villegas Jr. entered a plea of guilty to a misdemeanor violation of cruelty to an animal. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail.   

(siskiyoudaily.com - Nov 21, 2012)