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Case Snapshot
Case ID: 18285
Classification: Neglect / Abandonment
Animal: horse
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Rescuer faces fraud, animal cruelty charges
Guilford, NY (US)

Incident Date: Wednesday, Jun 29, 2011
County: Chenango

Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 4 files available

Defendant/Suspect: Stephanie M. Algiere-Hanchett

Case Updates: 2 update(s) available

The co-founder of a Guilford horse rescue is facing allegations that she defrauded donors and failed to properly care for her animals.

Stephanie M. Algiere-Hanchett, 28, Guilford, was arrested Wednesday by the Chenango County Sheriff's Office. She is charged with first degree scheme to defraud and animal cruelty in connection with A Ton of Love Draft Horse Rescue, which she co-founded with her aunt, Susan Beach, in 2010.

Stephanie was arraigned in the Town of Guilford Court and held at The Chenango County Correctional Facility on $2500.00 cash bail. Stephanie is to reappear in The Town of Guilford Court on 7/1/2011.

According to the group's website, www.atonoflove.org, the rescue is located on Miller Road in Guilford, on property owned by Hanchett's parents, Lisa and Michael Algiere.


Case Updates

Stephanie Algiere-Hanchett's case was heard 11/22/11, at which she pled guilty and was convicted of reduced charges.

Sentencing hearing will be held in January.
Source: Guilford Town Court
Update posted on Nov 29, 2011 - 12:58AM 
The arrest of a Guilford woman for animal cruelty and fraud stirs up anger over an alleged financial scheme and mistreatment of horses.

Stephanie Algiere-Hanchett of Guilford solicited funds through a rescue fund called A Ton of Love Draft Horse Rescue.

Chenango County Sheriff's Deputies says she and failed to seek medical care for a number of horses.

The money was intended for the hernia surgery of this two-year-old horse, named Argo.

"They had donated money through facebook and other Internet sites we determined that the horse actually hadn't had the surgery and she was actually collecting money from numerous people for the horse for services that were never provided," says Chenango County Sheriff Ernie Cutting.

In June, Algiere-Hanchett was charged with Scheme to Defraud and Animal Cruelty.

Holly is one of the twelve horses rescued from the property, she was very malnourished and underweight when taken in.

"Holly was in, she was in critical condition, just totally emaciated, couldn't get near the food, they were all fighting for the food," says Traci Baker of High Tech Farms in Cincinnatus.

Baker rescued six horses from the property and six others were rescued by another person.

The Sheriff's office says another horse had died.

Baker was a veterinary technician for 9 years.

She had visited the property often and said the barn was in poor condition.

"She wasn't feeding them, she never got the vet care. She didn't think she was doing anything wrong, and her family kept saying she's not abusing the horses, and they just don't seem to grasp what this is," says Baker.

Last week the Chenango County Sheriff's Office and a veterinarian searched Algiere-Hanchett's property again, after more complaints surfaced.

"It was determined through his investigation that there wasn't food and water at the place he had gone, we obtained a search warrant went back to the resident, when we did go back the next day there was food and water there," says Sheriff Cutting.

The vet said the horses were in good health at that time.

Baker is still worried, and feels she needs to give the animals a voice and attention.

Baker has nursed six horses back to health and already found new homes for most of them.

Algiere Hanchett will appear in the town of Guilford Court on a later date.

The Chenango County Sheriff's Office says around 11-hundred dollars was collected in the fraud scheme.
Source: wbng.com - Aug 25, 2011
Update posted on Aug 25, 2011 - 7:13PM 

References

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« NY State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Chenango County, NY

Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges.

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