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Case #14787 Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Hoarding - 41 animals seized
Ferndale, WA (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Oct 8, 2008
County: Whatcom
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted
Defendants/Suspects:
» Maria Ann Huffman
» Richard James Huffman
» Michael S. Wopat
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
Three people were arrested on Monday, Oct. 27, accused of animal cruelty after Whatcom County sheriff's deputies found 41 malnourished animals in poor condition at a home north of Ferndale.
Maria Ann Huffman, Richard James Huffman and Michael S. Wopat were arrested at a home on the 7000 block of Tall Cedars Lane and booked into Whatcom County Jail Monday evening - each on seven counts of second-degree animal cruelty, according to jail records.
The animals, which included cats, dogs, chickens, ducks and other birds, were turned over to the Whatcom Humane Society Oct. 9, said Sgt. Kevin McFadden, a detective for the Sheriff's Office.
The Sheriff's Office began investigating reports of animal cruelty at the home Oct. 8, after the Northwest Clean Air agency responded to a complaint of a foul smell coming from the residence.
Five of the animals were euthanized and three animals have since been adopted, said Penny Cistaro, executive director of Whatcom Humane Society. The rest of the animals are in foster care, at a wildlife refuge or still at the Humane Society, she said.
One of the dogs had a collar embedded in his neck that had been put on when he was young and not taken off when the dog outgrew it, Cistaro said.
Case UpdatesThree Ferndale-area residents will spend 90 days in jail after they were sentenced for first-degree animal cruelty in Whatcom County Superior Court Thursday, Feb. 5.
Michael Wopat pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree animal cruelty in court Thursday. Richard and Maria Huffman pleaded guilty to the same charges Jan. 29.
Judge Steven Mura issued identical sentences of 90 days in jail, $1,600 in restitution and five years without owning animals to Wopat and the Huffmans.
"If any of the three of you come back on a violation of your release or another cruelty charge, you're going to get a year in jail or more prison time," Mura said.
Maria and Richard Huffman were released from jail after their pleas but appeared in court Thursday for their sentencing. Flanked by their attorneys, David Brown and Andrew Subin, the Huffmans stood silently in front of Mura as he read their sentences.
Still in custody, Wopat stood in the courtroom's jury box with his hands shackled and his waist chained to other inmates.
Neither the Huffmans nor Wopat had any prior felony convictions, so Senior Deputy Prosecutor Eric Richey said he was inclined to agree with their defense attorneys and recommend the 90-day jail sentence because the time would affect them more than repeat felons.
Whatcom County sheriff's deputies arrested the Huffmans and Wopat at their home on the 7000 block of Tall Cedars Lane in October.
Deputies found 41 abused animals, including dogs, cats, ducks, chickens and other birds, at first, according to charging documents filed in Superior Court.
They discovered more animals later, including four dogs with their throats slit. Only one puppy, later named Mira, survived.
All but three of the animals have been adopted from the Whatcom Humane Society, Executive Director Penny Cistaro said.
While Maria Huffman and Wopat each were charged with four additional counts of animal cruelty for the dogs' deaths, there wasn't a witness and proving one of them did it would be difficult, Richey said. | Source: The Bellingham Herald - Feb 6, 2009
Update posted on Feb 6, 2009 - 11:58AM |
A woman and her son have pleaded guilty to animal cruelty in a case involving more than 50 animals in the Ferndale area of northwest Washington.
Whatcom County senior deputy prosecutor Eric Richey says he plans to recommend 90-day jail sentences for Maria A. Huffman and her son, Richard Huffman, who pleaded guilty on Thursday to first-degree animal cruelty.
The Huffmans also would be barred from owning animals for five years.
A third defendant in the case, Maria Huffman's husband, Michael Wopat, is scheduled to go to trial Feb. 9.
Fifty-seven malnourished dogs, cats, chickens, ducks and other birds were seized at the Huffmans' home or at a nearby rental property on Oct. 9.
The three were ordered not to possess any animals, but charging documents say four dogs were found living in a kennel on the property that Maria Hoffman and Wopat rented.
A neighbor told investigators that he saw Wopat on the property late at night Oct. 29. Two days later, the neighbor found the dogs with their throats slashed. Only one puppy survived.
Wopat and Maria Huffman were charged with additional counts of animal cruelty in the dogs' deaths, but Richey said those charges would be difficult to prove in court. | Source: Seattle Times - Jan 30, 2009
Update posted on Feb 1, 2009 - 10:45PM |
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