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Case #10958 Rating: 3.0 out of 5
20 horses neglected, 7 seized
Niwot, CO (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Mar 15, 2007
County: Boulder
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Marcy Trescott-Helmick
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
After receiving numerous complaints of possible animal abuse, Boulder County Sheriff's Office obtained a search warrant on March 15 and found dozens of horses to be living in deplorable conditions at Dry Creek Arabians, Niwot Equestrian Center, authorities said.
The sheriff's office said it received numerous complaints about the living conditions and the poor physical conditions of the horses at Dry Creek Arabians, located in the 7100 block of 83rd Street in Niwot.
Officers said the conditions were deplorable and some horses were found standing in stalls filled with feces and urine at least one foot deep. They said the horses had no dry place to stand or lie down, and there was not an adequate amount of food for the animals.
About 47 horses were being kept on about four acres of land at the property, officers said. The owner of the business, Marcy Trescott-Helmick, said most of the horses were not hers but were being boarded with her by their owners.
Seven horses were impounded and were taken to Colorado Horse Rescue near Longmont because of their dire conditions, officers said. Some 13 other horses were left on the property under a notice of warning with strict instructions as to their care, which will be followed closely by the sheriff's office, said Sgt. Heidi Prentup of the Boulder County Sheriff's Office.
The remaining 27 horses were in acceptable condition, Prentup said.
Deputies said Trescott-Helmick faces charges of animal cruelty and improper care.
Case UpdatesA Niwot woman who pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals may keep her equestrian business, but she must cooperate with inspectors.
Marcy Trescott-Helmick agreed to the plea in a deal with prosecutors, who dropped seven cruelty counts and 34 counts of improper care of animals and dismissed a related charge of tampering with evidence.
Trescott-Helmick was sentenced Friday to 72 hours of community service and two years of probation. She also must maintain her regimen of any prescribed medications and comply with mental health treatment.
A woman who answered the phone at Trescott-Helmick's Dry Creek Arabians/Niwot Equestrian Center on Monday identified herself as Trescott-Helmick, but declined to comment without her attorney present.
County officials confiscated seven horses from the facility in March.
More than 30 horses were left on the property after the raid. When inspectors returned in April following a trip, 27 of the horses were missing and sheriff's officials said Trescott-Helmick would not tell them where the animals were.
Investigators found the horses out of the county, which led to prosecutors to file the tampering with evidence charge, a felony. | Source: Times-Call - Dec 11, 2007
Update posted on Dec 12, 2007 - 5:30PM |
An equestrian-center owner at the center of an animal-cruelty case has been arrested and stands accused of spiriting away 27 horses that sheriff's officials consider vital evidence in the case.
Marcy Trescott-Helmick was cited on March 15 on suspicion of seven counts of animal cruelty after animal welfare officials impounded seven horses they said were living in "deplorable" conditions.
However, 40 other horses were left at Dry Creek Arabians/Niwot Equestrian Center following the raid, because they were either healthy or too hard to catch, officials said.
Many of those horses are now missing, sheriff's officials said.
"The horses were moved out of the county," said Sgt. Heidi Prentup, who has been helping lead the investigation.
Trescott-Helmick was warned to follow strict guidelines set by the sheriff's office regarding the care of those remaining 40 horses. And sheriff's officials told Trescott-Helmick they would stop by on April 19 to check on their condition, according to Prentup.
But a tip from a horse owner led officers to visit the equestrian center at 7182 N. 83rd St. in Niwot on the evening of April 18, according to officials.
"Officers contacted Marcy leaving the property at approximately 9:30 p.m. with one horse in a trailer. Marcy refused to tell the officer where they were taking the horse," according to a sheriff's statement. "On April 19, when officers arrived at the property we found only seven horses. Marcy Trescott-Helmick refused to tell the officers where she had taken the missing twenty-seven horses."
The remaining horses are in good condition, the sheriff's office said, and are being cared for by a friend of Trescott-Helmick.
The seven horses originally taken from the center are being cared for at Colorado Horse Rescue west of Longmont. According to sheriff's officials, the majority of horses involved in the case belong to other people and were being boarded at the stables.
Trescott-Helmick was charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty in that case, and is now facing charges of tampering with physical evidence, a class 6 felony. Trescott-Helmick was arrested Friday.
"That's the last time we tell someone when we're going to show up," Prentup said, adding that she had believed the sheriff's office had reached an understanding with Trescott-Helmick over the horses' care.
Trescott-Helmick is being represented by a public defender, who could not be reached for comment Friday evening. | Source: Longmont FYI - April 21, 2007
Update posted on Apr 22, 2007 - 2:46PM |
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