During a status conference Friday in Townsend, newly-elected Broadwater County Attorney Corey Swanson told the court that a national warrant for arrest has been issued for defendant Thomas Jessberger.
Jessberger and Dalene Rindal were charged in April of last year with 34 felony counts of cruelty to animals for allegedly failing to properly feed and water horses at Rocky Acres Horse Rescue.
Jessberger fled Montana late last year to California and then Texas.
In court on Friday, Maria Eastman -- Jessberger's lawyer -- told the court she has no information about her client.
County Attorney Swanson told the court he's going to file a motion to try the suspects separately.
Swanson told MTN News that he intends to bring a speedy resolution to the case.
Judge James Reynolds has yet to rule on a defense motion to suppress evidence. The defense in the case contends that law enforcement officers didn't have probable cause to serve two search warrants at Rocky Acres Horse Rescue.
A veterinarian that assessed the horses said that none of the these horses ranked above a four in her one to nine scale and that all 29 horses were deemed neglected and abused.
If that motion is granted, most of the evidence in the case will be sealed.
There is no word yet on when that ruling will be issued.
The case is scheduled for trial in March.
(KRTV Great Falls News - Jan 9, 2015)
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