Animal cruelty, bribery charges reported
Visalia, CA (US)Incident Date: Thursday, May 31, 2007
County: Tulare
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» Michael James Sargeant
» William Ray Harmon
» Ron C. Cookson
Case Updates: 5 update(s) available
A Bakersfield man faces felony charges in a case that involves animal cruelty and bribery. Michael James Sargeant, a businessman who owns Sargeant’s Wholesale Biological, is set to appear before a judge in about three weeks. He buys dead cats from animal shelters and sells them for veterinary research.
Sargeant, William Harmon, and Ronn Cookson are out on bail after an arrest in this case following accusations of animal cruelty and bribery at the Tulare County Animal Shelter. Sargeant avoided questions on June 19, 2007 as 17 News attempted to get his comments.
According to court documents, workers at the Tulare shelter said animals were euthanized the same day they were taken to the shelter. The Kern County Animal Control said that is illegal. Division Chief Denise Haynes said the Kern County shelter used to contract with Sargeant. “Kern County had a contract with Mr. Sargeant, and at that time, the price was $2.50,” per dead cat, she said. “The cats were held the required amount of time, we would euthanize them and Mr. Sargeant would pick them up.”
In Tulare, the county contracted with Sargeant’s Wholesale Biological to sell cat carcasses for research and education from January to June of 2002. The criminal case alleges Tulare employees were ordered not to adopt out any pregnant, unsterilized or medium-sized dogs. 17 News obtained a written statement from Sargeant stating he “absolutely denies bribery of any type. I had a good working relationship with Tulare County Animal Control. If there was wrong doing of any kind, it was done by my ex-wife who managed the paperwork and financial end the business."
The Kern County High School District said local students do not use cats for science class dissections, but most of the cats purchased by Sargeant were sold to high schools outside Kern County for student research.
Case UpdatesA Tulare County employee and a Valley businessman were ordered to stand trial on charges related to a scandal involving animal cruelty and bribery at the county animal shelter.
Tulare County Superior Court Judge Gerald Sevier ruled there is sufficient evidence against animal-control manager William Harmon and Bakersfield businessman Michael Sargeant to merit a trial.
Harmon was charged with several counts of animal cruelty, bribery and misuse of public records relating to his operation of the shelter between 2002 and 2006. Sargeant and Harmon were accused of exchanging bribes involving Sargeant's business, which provided dead dogs and cat carcasses for veterinary experiments.
Prosecutors contended Sargeant bribed Harmon to discount Sargeant's bill from the county, presenting Harmon with gift and restaurant certificates.
Authorities also said Harmon treated animals at the shelter in a cruel manner, including kicking at least one dog and dropping doors on the heads of others.
A single charge of animal cruelty was dropped against a third man, Ronn Cookson, 38.
Harmon and Sargeant will appear in court for a pre-trial conference on February 13, 2008, with trial schdeduled for March 31, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. | Source: Tulare County Case # VCF185453
Update posted on Oct 17, 2007 - 2:20PM |
Following a six-month investigation, an animal dealer and two Tulare County shelter employees are facing a combined total of 13 felony counts related to alleged animal cruelty and bribery.
Harmon was put on paid administrative leave, and Cookson was fired earlier in the year. | Source: August 2007 - ALDF News
Update posted on Aug 20, 2007 - 9:01PM |
A Bakersfield man charged with bribery in connection with an animal abuse case in Tulare County has pleaded not guilty.
Michael Sargeant is accused of bribing an official at Visalia’s animal shelter to sell him euthanized animals, even though he didn’t have a contract with the county.
He owns Sargeant’s Wholesale Biological, a local business that prepares animal carcasses for resale to educators.
Two former shelter employees also face charges, both of whom have pleaded not guilty. | Source: KGET - July 12, 2007
Update posted on Jul 16, 2007 - 6:40AM |
A former animal control supervisor was charged with participating in a scheme to kill animals held at a shelter and profit from selling their carcasses, court records show.
William Harmon, 43, a former manager of the Tulare County animal shelter in Visalia, was charged with 10 felony counts, including seeking or accepting bribes, embezzlement, falsifying public records and animal cruelty, said prosecutor Doug Rodgers.
Harmon subjected animals to "mass executions on Saturdays," as well as torture, starvation and cruel euthanization practices, and threatened his staff to prevent them from reporting the abuse, court documents show.
Harmon's attorney did not immediately return a call seeking comment Monday.
Michael Sargeant, 46, who owns a Bakersfield business that prepares animal carcasses for resale, bribed Harmon to sell him bodies outside the scope of his contract with the county, authorities said.
Sargeant was charged with two counts of bribery, and a former shelter employee was charged with one count of animal cruelty, Rodgers said.
Sargeant's attorney said he would enter a not guilty plea when his client is arraigned.
All three men were arrested June 15 and released on bond the following day. They were scheduled to appear in Tulare County Superior Court for a bond hearing on July 11. | Source: OC Register - July 3, 2007
Update posted on Jul 3, 2007 - 4:26PM |
The Tulare County Sheriff's Department announced that three men — including two former Tulare County employees — were arrested on suspicion of bribery, animal cruelty and other charges.
A six-month investigation involving the Tulare County Animal Control office led to the arrest of county employees Ronn Cookson, 38, of Tulare and William Ray Harmon, 43, of Visalia. Both worked at Tulare County Animal Control but are no longer employed by the county. The investigation began after an employee tipped the Sheriff's Department of possible illegal activity at the animal-control office.
Harmon solicited money outside of a county contract with Michael James Sergeant, 46, of Bakersfield, who owns Sergeant Biological, which is under contract with the county's Health and Human Services Agency, according to the Sheriff's Department.
Sergeant agreed to pay money, and Harmon accepted the money and spent it outside of the county's authority, the Sheriff's Department reported. Harmon also is accused of falsifying documents involving the required holding period and euthanization of animals under the care of animal control.
During the investigation, it was discovered that Harmon and Cookson were also involved in the physical abuse and neglect of animals under their care while employed by the county, according to the Sheriff's Department. Those acts included feeding dogs incorrect food, lack of and insufficient water, neglecting the expedition of euthanization of sick or injured dogs, placing euthasol (a euthanizing agent) in food, not following state methods for euthanization of animals and euthanization of dogs before the end of the required holding period.
Sergeant was arrested on suspicion of bribery. Cookson was arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty. Harmon was arrested on suspicion of bribery, falsifying records, misappropriation of funds and animal cruelty.
Sgt. Chris Douglass, spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Department, could not provide details on the following information:
# The county contract with Sergeant Biological.
# The services Sergeant Biological provided.
# How much money was exchanged.
# What Harmon did with the money he accepted.
# The types of positions held by Harmon and Cookson with animal control and when their employment ended. | Source: Visalia Times Delta - June 21, 2007
Update posted on Jun 21, 2007 - 10:46PM |
References | KGET - June 19, 2007 |
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