Two Muskogee County residents were charged with more than 300 counts of cruelty to animals, in connection with scores of dead cattle found Thursday southwest of Muskogee, according to court documents.
Lindsey Rae Brashear, 36, of Haskell and Kasey Wayne Clay, 31, of Council Hill were arrested last week after Muskogee County Sheriff deputies found carcasses of 103 cows and one dog on the property. The two had been leasing the property, but were told to be off the land and remove their cattle.
Muskogee County District Attorney Larry Edwards said more animal carcasses were found in a different pasture on the property. One calf had to be euthanized, and the carcass was taken to Oklahoma State University for a necropsy, Edwards said.
Forty cows and four horses were impounded to a neighboring ranch. Seven dogs were taken to Muskogee Animal Shelter.
Brashear and Clay were each charged with 155 felony counts of animal cruelty Tuesday. Each count carries up to five years in prison, if convicted.
“The grass beneath them (the animals) was stubble, there was nothing, and the animals had no access to hay and very little water,” Edwards said, referring to the original 103 cows. “Over the weekend, we found a second property, and that’s where the other 60 or 70 other cows were found.”
Brashear and Clay were charged with 104 misdemeanor counts of unlawful disposal of an animal carcass.
Edwards said the two had their animals at two address.
“And we’re still trying to check to find out if there are not others,” he said.
They also were charged with knowingly concealing stolen property after a Kubota tractor was found on the property. According to an affidavit by Sheriff investigator Kile Turley, the tractor had been reported stolen from Boynton.
Bond was set at $100,000 for Clay and $75,000 for Brashear.
Their next court appearance is June 20.