Federal agents uncover bestiality farm
Sumas, WA (US)

Incident Date: Wednesday, Apr 14, 2010
County: Whatcom

Charges: Felony CTA, Felony Non-CTA
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged:
» Douglas Spink - Convicted
» Stephen Clarke - Convicted

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

A man accused of operating a crude compound near Sumas where people engaged in sexual acts with animals is tied to cases in four court systems in two countries.

Federal agents arrested Douglas Spink at a Whatcom County compound on Reese Hill Road on April 14. They also seized videotapes of a British man, Stephen Clarke, engaged in sexual acts with dogs Spink owned.

The Whatcom Humane Society seized seven dogs, four horses and several mice. The dogs and horses are the subject of a custody dispute currently proceeding in Whatcom County Superior and District courts; the mice had to be euthanized.

Spink has not been charged with animal cruelty, although the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office has completed its investigation to determine if he violated state animal-cruelty statutes, Sheriff Bill Elfo said.

The case has been sent to Whatcom County Prosecutor Dave McEachran, who's reviewing it to decide if Spink should be charged.

Spink has been charged in U.S. District Court in Seattle with violating his probation, which stems from a 2005 conviction for possessing cocaine with intent to distribute it.

In a hearing Monday, June 14, federal prosecutors will outline the evidence they feel substantiates four alleged violations of that probation, according to their memorandum filed in federal court.

They accuse Spink of violating Washington state law by videotaping Clarke engaging in those sexual acts; Spink allegedly is heard on the videotapes calling the dogs by name and talking to Clarke.

Spink's attorney, Howard Phillips, denies this allegation by contending that Spink has not been charged with the offense in state court.

The state Legislature banned videotaping people engaging in sexual acts with animals in 2006 following an incident in Enumclaw where a man died after having sex with a horse while another man videotaped it.

The federal prosecutors allege that Spink also violated his probation by associating with Clarke while Clarke engaged in criminal behavior. In May in Whatcom County Superior Court, Clarke pleaded guilty to first-degree animal cruelty for the sexual acts he performed with the dogs.

Phillips argues Spink didn't know Clarke was committing a crime on his property.

Spink also is accused of lying to probation officers and violating his travel restrictions; Phillips contends Spink was telling the truth and will explain why he left the area without permission.

The issue of who will have custody of the animals taken from Spink's property was partially resolved at a hearing before Superior Court Judge Ira Uhrig on Friday, June 11.

Uhrig ordered one of the horses, named Lil' Joe, returned to a Custer woman who sold it to Spink for $3,000 on an installment plan. Spink only paid about $800, according to court filings.

Uhrig ordered the Humane Society to release a second horse named Capone to Corinne Super of Chilliwack, B.C. The horse is the subject of a custody dispute currently proceeding in a Canadian court between Spink and Super.

Uhrig did not determine ownership but only that Super will have custody of the horse until the dispute can be resolved in Canada.

The hearing ended before Uhrig could determine who should have custody of the other animals. Exitpoint Stallions Inc., a corporation that has listed Spink as its registered agent, has sued the Humane Society in District Court over the animals' seizure.

That civil case is set for a hearing Wednesday that could resolve the custody issues, or Uhrig could take up the matter at another hearing this week.

Case Updates

References

• « WA State Animal Cruelty Map
  « More cases in Whatcom County, WA

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