SALT LAKE CITY — The legal proceedings against two Utah men accused of participating in a wild horse slaughtering ring are nearing their conclusion. This case has brought attention to ongoing issues in the management of wild horses by federal agencies.
Case Background
More than a year after indictments were issued by a federal grand jury, the case against Robert Wilford Capson and Dennis Kay Kunz is winding down. The two men were charged in September 2011 for fraudulently obtaining Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wild horses with the intent to sell them for slaughter in Mexico.
In August 2011, federal agents intercepted over 60 horses at a port of entry outside Helper in Carbon County on U.S. 6.
Details of the Indictment
According to the indictment, Capson purchased the horses from the Wild Horse and Burro Facility in Herriman, claiming they were intended for use as rodeo stock in Ibapah, Tooele County. However, the BLM requires buyers to affirm that the animals will not be resold for slaughter in Mexico or Canada.
Capson delivered the horses to Kunz in Willard, Box Elder County. Kunz, known as a "kill buyer," provided the transportation to Presidio, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Legal Outcomes
Capson pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, receiving one year of probation and a $9,400 restitution order. Kunz reached a plea deal with U.S. prosecutors and will be sentenced in January by Judge Dale Kimball.
Melodie Rydalch, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Salt Lake City, stated that the felony convictions are an appropriate conclusion to the case. "In this case, which involved an undercover sting operation by the BLM, the horses were never in danger," Rydalch said. "These felony convictions should send a strong message that this conduct will be aggressively prosecuted."
Advocacy and Broader Implications
Simone Netherlands, managing director of the wild horse advocacy group Respect4Horses, praised the outcome but noted that the Utah incident is symptomatic of a larger, widespread problem that often goes unnoticed by the federal agency tasked with managing wild horse populations.
Originally Posted By Desert News