ROMNEY, W.Va. — Sterling Spaid, one of two brothers arrested in connection with animal abuse toward dozens of horses, pleaded guilty to five counts of animal cruelty, according to Hampshire County Magistrate Eugene Billmeyer.
Spaid’s sentence will mirror his brother Ralph Spaid’s, who was sentenced last month for 19 counts animal cruelty and one count resisting arrest.
“Six months on each count to be served concurrently,” said Billmeyer.
Originally, 17 horses were taken from the Spaid farm in High View on Back Creek Road in October and transported to Animal Control Officer David Gee’s farm in Slanesville. Hampshire County Sheriff Nathan Sions said that of the 17 that were moved, three have died and three adult horses and six foals remain on Gee’s farm to be adopted.
There are 36 horses left on the Spaid farm and per state law, anyone convicted with an animal cruelty charge cannot own or posess any animal for five years. Thus, it is now the county’s responsibility to remove the horses. Sions said there have been commitments made to adopt 18 horses and they’ve received additional inquiries.
On Sunday, Sions, Animal Control Equine Officer Genny Szabo and a Pennsylvania veterinarian took blood from all but five of the 36 horses left at the farm to test for Coggins disease. Before the horses are released for adoption, they will all need to be tested for Coggins, which checks for equine infectious anemia virus. The horses were also given the first round of deworming medication. There were four stallions and one blind horse that Sions, Szabo and the veterinarian were not able to draw blood from.
Two other stallions were put down by the sheriff’s department, veterinarian Fred Adams, Szabo and Gee last month.
“Two stallions were recently destroyed, as allowed by state law, due to them presenting a danger to county staff and the public,” said Sions in a press release.
The county has been caring for the horses since the brothers were arrested in October. Sions said so far they’ve spent $40,000 on their care, and that does not include man hours on the investigation. The county has been providing care to the horses on Gee’s farm and taking hay to the horses still on the Spaid farm. Both the Spaid brothers will have to pay restitution.
Roy Hardy, assistant Hampshire County prosecutor, said the amount of restitution that the Spaid brothers will owe is unknown.
“We’re still calculating,” said Hardy.
Sions said the sale of the 34 cows also seized from the property brought in $18,138.62. The last cow was sold Monday, but that additional amount is unknown. Hardy said the revenue will be given back to the county and be included when calculating the amount of restitution the Spaids will be required to pay.
“So far the county has collected a total of $21,638.62 in restitution,” said Sions.
Magistrate Shirley Timbrook previously ordered an additional $3,500 to be paid by Ralph Spaid.
“A condition of him being released from a previous arrest for animal cruelty,” said Sions in a press release, adding that the bond was used to pay expenses for the care of the horses that were seized.
Sions said that any horses not adopted will be sent to an auction. Anyone wishing to adopt the horses should contact Szabo at 304-822-0732.
“We hope that all of the remaining horses are adopted out to a good home. However, horses that have not been adopted out by April 1, 2011, will be sold at an auction on April 2, 2011, unless some unforeseen event occurs,” said Sions.
Emily Newman can be contacted at enewman@times-news.com.
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