Toby Keith while performing “Bear For My Horses” at the American Music Awards in 2003. He was joined by Willie Nelson.
Oklahoma – Country music singer-songwriter Toby Keith, who made his major debut in 1993 with his popular single “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” died late Monday, according to a statement on his website. He was 62.
Posted earlier today, the statement on his official website stated: “Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on February 5th surrounded by his family. He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time.”
Keith was also a rodeo hand in his early days before reaching country music fame.
In 2003, he also released one of his top singles called “Beer for My Horses” and reached $22 on the Billboard Hot 100, although it had mixed reviews from critics. The song also featured country music legend Willie Nelson.
Keith had announced in the summer of 2022 that he had been diagnosed with stomach cancer and was being treated with chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.
In a December interview with Oklahoma’s KWTV, Keith stated he was still in treatment. “Cancer is a roller coaster,” he said. “You just sit here and wait on it to go away– it may not ever go away.”
He talked about how his Christian faith was helping him get through the treatment and the potentially dark outcome.
Keith was well known for writing or at least co-writing much of his material. Over 60 of his singles also reached the country music charts, including 20 No. 1 hits. He also sold over 40 million albums worldwide. He was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015.
Before hitting it big in 1993, Keith had multiple jobs to support his family. Besides being a rodeo hand, he worked in the Oklahoma oil fields and was a semi-professional football player.
One of Keith’s most prominent instances was with his No. 1 hit in 2002 titled “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)”. Keith wrote the song following the deadly attacks on 9/11. The death of his father, a disabled military veteran who died a year earlier in an automobile accident, also influenced the song.
At times, Keith confounded his critics with his music and public statements. He also described himself as a conservative Democrat.
“I don’t apologize for being patriotic,” Keith said in a 2007 interview with Newsday.
Keith is survived by his mother; his wife, Tricia; two daughters, Shelly and Krystal; a son, Stelen; a sister, Tonnie; a brother, Tracy; and four grandchildren.
Tillamook, Ore. – An Oregon Coast man who operated a camel riding business has been convicted on three Class C felony counts of Invasion of Privacy in the First Degree– all part of a plea deal with the Tillamook County District Attorney’s Office– according to court records filed earlier today.
John David Bonander, 49, was arrested back in December of 2022 on four counts of invasion of privacy and two counts of tampering with physical evidence, with the invasion claims being marked as sex crimes.
While the filming by Bonander involved minors, court sentencing documents state that Bonander will serve 36 months of supervised probation, among other terms, but will not serve any jail time or have to register as a sex offender. He also was allowed to plea “no contest” instead of a full guilty plea.
“The parties agree defendant shall not be required to register as a sex offender pursuant to ORS 163.701(3). Defendant is sentenced to jail equal to time served,” stated the court document.
Bonander was ordered to complete a single-sex offender treatment program and comply with treatment rules but was permitted to enter school buildings for activities with his child regardless of any of those rules.
The news that Bonander will only face the time served in jail following his immediate arrest, along with avoiding requirements to register as a sex offender, is expected to cause some public uproar on a case that received regional media attention across the northwest.
The front page of a judgment document outlining the sentence set as part of a plea deal between the Tillamook County District Attorney and John Bonander.
During his arrest in December of 2022, detectives alleged that Bonander appeared to be preparing to flee the area.
“We found two phones in the process of being erased, as well as a ‘go-bag’ filled with passports and birth certificates. Bonander also had a large amount of cash on him.” said TCSO Detective Chase Ross.
One of the original minor victims was also illegally employed by Bonander’s camel riding business, West Coast Camels, along with horseback riding outfitter Green Acres Beach & Trail Rides operated at the same location.
The bathroom Bonander had filmed minors in was located on the property in a dwelling that Bonander also previously resided in and was used by employees.
Bonander was reported by numerous sources, along with his own past admissions, to being friends and business partners with Daniel & Teresa Stuebgen, who owned the Green Acres horseback riding business.
Following the charges, the Stuebgens claimed via social media postings that they and the businesses had no ties and denied having a friendship with Bonander over the preceding years. Despite this, it was learned that the businesses shared employees, facilities, and that West Coast Camels subleased from Stuebgen’s business.
According to multiple sources previously employed by Green Acres, the property owner receives a portion of the company’s revenue.
The property used by Bonander and the Stuebgens, located at 5985 Pacific Ave in Pacific City, Oregon, is owned by R&M Properties, an Oregon company whose longtime owner is Judd Moore, a retired architect from Portland.
Moore has not returned multiple attempts in the past seeking comment on the myriad of issues and allegations by State officials against his commercial tenants.
Numerous former employees of Green Acres and the Stuebgen’s, which included some who spoke only on the condition of anonymity, stated the property owners also received a share of Green Acre’s revenue, but this could not be independently confirmed.
The location and business have been a source of other scrutiny as recently as last year over allegations of neglect of horses and other animals, a story originally reported by this publication. It also included allegations of an investigation involving the Stuebgens and their minor grandson, who had allegedly burned a chicken alive and was sharing the recording among friends.
Equestrian Media Group obtained a copy of the horrific video but did not share it due to editor discretion.
Bonander was not believed to have played a role in the neglect allegations involving the Stuebgens and their animals.
According to a mountain of State records obtained by Equestrian Media Group, the Stuebgens, and their business are also embattled with numerous state agencies and investigations for illegal labor practices and other violations.
Last summer, the company and the Stuebgens were hit with a nearly $120,000 fine by the Department of Consumer & Business Services (DCBS) for years of failing to maintain workers’ compensation coverage- having ignored repeated calls by DCBS to provide past employment records and obtain the required insurance.
DCBS officials repeatedly clarified to the Stuebgens in person and in writing that they were personally on the hook for the $120,000 fine.
It was also believed from statements made by State officials that there were missing payroll fillings, creating new questions of possible tax evasion and even more liability for the Stuebgens. Business owners cannot discharge payroll tax liabilities in bankruptcy.
The Stuebgens and their business ultimately failed to comply with State law and/or appeal the proposed fine, which was finalized last fine. They have still not obtained any workers’ compensation insurance as of the publication.
According to a DCBS spokesperson in a statement made in November of 2023, the company did not appeal the fine.
“Green Acres did not appeal the noncomplying employer order and their appeal rights have expired. To date, the employer has not yet obtained workers’ compensation coverage.” said DCBS’ Public Information & Communications Director, Mark Peterson.
“If an employer continues to employ subject workers without workers’ compensation coverage in place, they can be subject to additional penalties up to $250 per day of noncompliance, as well as subject to an injunction issued by the circuit court. Further failure to comply can ultimately lead to jail time,” stated Peterson.
It was unclear what, if any, additional penalties or actions have yet taken place by DCBS.
However, DCBS records did appear to show an ongoing collaboration between their officials, the Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industries (BOLI), and the Oregon Department of Justice.
An October 2023 email from BOLI investigators to officials with DCBS and an Oregon DOJ Special Agent stated the agency had an open case against Green Acres Beach & Trail Rides for child labor violations, but also made mention of allegations from an Oregon DHS investigator about alleged sexual abuse by an owner of Green Acres.
“We are in the process of referring the case for child labor violations and civil penalties to our Administrative Prosecution Unit. In addition, we plan to refer this matter to the District Attorney’s office in Tillamook County due to the seriousness of the allegations and information we received from an Investigator with ODHS investigating sexual abuse that took place involving one of the owners and a minor that ‘volunteered’ at the worksite.”
Last month BOLI then started to decline to produce any more public records surrounding Green Acres, citing exemptions under Oregon’s Public Records Law, explaining that the case had been referred to the DOJ Administrative Prosecution Unit to determine if they will issue a charging document.
Court records also showed that days before the October email from a BOLI official, Daniel Stuebgen, who owns Green Acres with his ex-wife Teresa Stuebgen, was arrested on a felony charge of Custodial Interference in the Second Degree.
Stuebgen was allegedly keeping the minor from her father. An earlier July 2023 BOLI Memo also reported that Stuebgen admitted to employing a 12-year-old minor who volunteered, which BOLI officials pointed out was not legal to have volunteers “perform work that would have otherwise have to be done by an employee to stay in operation.”
Generally, for-profit businesses cannot have unpaid volunteers or workers who are not at least paid minimum wage, according to both Oregon labor law and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
According to the BOLI investigator, “[Stuebgen] said that the 12 year old’s [sic] parents are both alcoholics so the household is ‘not a good place.’ The 12 year old [sic] allegedly spends part of the week with the owner and his family.”
It could not be confirmed if the minor named in the charging document related to the custodial interference or referenced in the DHS matter was the same minor. We are not sharing the charging document per this publication’s policy as it identifies a potential minor victim.
Stuebgen has a history of other charges for assault and harassment in recent years. He and his ex-wife also both have a known history of extensive alcohol use. Teresa Stuebgen faced jail time for failing to abide by the conditions of her probation from a March 2021 DUI incident in Tillamook County.
While it does not appear Bonander’s defunct business ever faced any of its own fines or violations, records did show that West Coast Camels appeared to have been employing some of the same minors as Green Acres, also without a minor exemption certificate required under state and federal labor laws.
Tillamook County District Attorney Aubrey Olson did not return a request for comment before press time. We will update this story with any response.
The Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office was not contacted for any comment on the case after previously saying they would no longer respond to this publication or any of its affiliated reporters, creating an effective blacklist that raises constitutional questions.
Past attempts to seek responses from TCSO have gone unanswered since that time.
The statement to end any further communication with Equestrian Media Group and its affiliated reporters was made by Public Information Officer Deputy Paul Fournier, the TCSO spokesperson.
“TCSO will not be making any further comments to your publication, [sic] or its reporters,” said Fournier.
It followed this publication’s offer for comment from TCSO Sheriff Josh Brown earlier last year to respond to critical comments against the agency, made both online and during local citizens’ statements to Equestrian Media Group.
Some allegations included generalized claims that TCSO was not meeting acceptable standards or training related to animal cruelty investigations.
Details surrounding the closure of Bonander’s business, West Coast Camels, were also unclear. Bonander allegedly sold the camels and/or shipped them elsewhere out of state.
Disclosure Note:Due to a pending settlement in a civil matter between John Bonander and Equestrian Media Group’s managing editor, we did not seek comment from Bonander for this story. Bonander was also criminally convicted in 2022 of telephonic harassment stemming from conduct in 2021 and 2022 against the editor in a matter not associated to this publication’s reporting.
Aumsville woman Geneva Boston is depicted in a video leaked online Sept. 4 allegedly whipping a horse. She was arrested for aggravated animal abuse, but prosecutors declined to file charges after a key witness refused to cooperate.
Salem, Ore. – The Oregon woman behind a viral video depicting the alleged abuse of a horse is now threatening legal action against Equestrian Media Group and other journalists who reported on the story.
Geneva Marie Boston, 27, of Salem, was arrested after turning herself in to authorities with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office back in September. Detectives with MCSO had been attempting to locate Boston and speak with her regarding allegations and widespread public outcry over a self-recorded video that was later leaked online.
According to a probable cause affidavit, she was seen repeatedly whipping a horse across the back and face.
Boston was also the subject of an investigative story by Equestrian Media Group in 2021 after falsely telling police a family’s horse had died as part of a coverup to ship and sell the horse out of state.
A November letter sent to Equestrian Media Group by attorney Erin Mee of Salem-based Lafky & Lafky, a law firm retained by Boston, stated this publication “…published false and defamatory statements without undertaking due professional diligence to verify their accuracy or provide the minimum necessary factual context.”
“[The] article contained numerous false and misleading statements, as well as sensationalizing and mis-characterizing [sic] a video of an interaction with a horse, with the result that it has destroyed Geneva Boston’s reputation in the community and her career while badly injuring her mental health,” Mee added.
The letter from Boston’s attorney also made strong threats of legal action directly against this reporter, other NW Horse Report staff, and even reporter Steven Floyd with The Canyon Weekly (Mt. Angel Publishing).
Floyd’s story, which broke the news on the DA’s decision not to prosecute Boston the evening before her scheduled court appearance, was provided by Floyd for publication by NW Horse Report. It was unclear if Boston’s attorney was even aware that Floyd’s story was originally published by The Canyon Weekly, or that Floyd actually worked for Mt. Angel Publishing and not Equestrian Media Group.
It was also unclear if similar threats of legal action had been made against that publication or numerous other publications across the country that reported on Boston.
Mee claimed in the legal threat letter that our reporting also “relied on unnamed jail officials for details of the investigation.”
However, an attorney for Equestrian Media Group pointed out in a response letter that our story did not rely on a jail official for details of the investigation but instead to verify details related to Boston’s booking into the Marion County Jail— leading to information confirming that online booking information that Boston was being held without bail was indeed inaccurate and that she would be released. That reporting can be viewed by clicking here.
The letter from Boston’s attorney also claimed she was only “briefly held on suspicion of a charge due to public outcry over a horse training video, but Ms. Boston was never charged with a crime or scheduled for any public hearings.”
The response seemed to downplay that Boston was actually arrested and also played semantics regarding the use of the term “charged.”
“Ms Boston was indeed scheduled for a court hearing on or about October 4th, [2023]– information that was repeatedly confirmed with multiple court officials. Court hearings are public by their nature, and it need not be publically advertised to be ‘public’. The night of her arrest, jail officials also confirmed the October 4th hearing date scheduled for Ms. Boston, which would have been provided to Ms Boston during her release. Additionally, Ms. Boston was certainly arrested on charges of animal abuse,” said Joseph Turk, an attorney for Equestrian Media Group, in a January 4th, 2024 response letter.
Mee also provided her clients justification for the actions viewed in the viral video, which were described as “specialized training techniques.”
“The Horse in the video was being subject [sic] to specialized training techniques as it had severe behavioral issues that had been proven difficult to remedy. It suffered no permanent injuries as a result of the techniques being used,” said Mee.
“Ms. Boston was undertaking legitimate horse training work on behalf of a client and did not have any intention of harming, abusing, or neglecting any animals. There was never any proof that any animal was actually injured in the video,” Mee explained.
The letter went on saying: “The article stated that Geneva Boston Repeatedly [sic] Jerked [sic] the lead line attached to an iron halter. The halter was aluminum and Boston was not ‘jerking’ on the lead.”
Equestrian Media Group also rebuffed the assertion that Boston was not jerking on the lead line, as repeatedly seen in the video.
“Ms. Boston is seen clearly jerking the lead line on the video, and using such a description is more than reflective. As far as iron halters, EMG spoke to numerous experts who showed examples of this, but iron or aluminum appears to be irrelevant. EMG can include Ms. Boston’s claim that the halter was aluminum and not iron in future reporting,” said Turk.
Boston’s attorney also struck back at this publication, disputing reporting about her involvement with PNW Horse Sales and self-described horse kill-buyer Donald Nowlin.
Nowlin is also the subject of a civil lawsuit that has garnered significant attention in Washington State for allegedly killing a horse after it was purchased from him. Nowlin lost the case in arbitration but appealed. The case has faced years of delays due to COVID, and more recently the pending opinion on a technical aspect of the case by the Washington State Court of Appeals.
Just yesterday, the court ultimately ruled that the plaintiff’s claim for certain damages against Nowlin could proceed, reversing the lower court’s ruling. The case is now likely to be set for trial.
“The September 8th article goes on to make numerous false and unfounded statements exaggerating Boston’s involvement with PNW horse sales [sic] and an individual named Donald Nowlin. Geneva Boston only rode one horse at auction on behalf of another seller. She was never employed by PNW Horse sales and she never sold any horses through the auction.”
Turk’s reply on behalf of Equestrian Media Group then said: “EMG has been able to document and interview numerous individuals who have provided details as to the nature and changes in the relationship between Ms. Boston and Mr. Nowlin over several years.”
“Mr. Nowlin also publicly admitted the horse depicted in the video belonged to him, confirming that Ms. Boston had an ongoing relationship with Mr. Nowlin.”
Not only did PNW Horse Sales not appear to engage in proper employment practices based on information obtained from numerous sources, but it was confirmed with the Oregon Dept. of Business & Consumer Services that the company never once even had workers’ compensation insurance as required by Oregon law.
Equestrian Media Group also previously reported uncovering that Nowlin was illegally concealing his ownership interest in the company– all while the owner on paper, Tommie Reevs, publically claimed on numerous occasions that Nowlin was not involved in the ownership or even the operations of the company.
The ruse was reportedly intended to dispel public concerns about the auction’s integrity, especially since Nowlin sold many horses through the company’s auctions under an unregistered Washington State company known as Bar 4 Ranch. Nowlin has previously been the subject of allegations of retail tax fraud by not charging or remitting WA sales taxes with commercial business transactions.
Equestrian Media Group previously uncovered records first obtained from the Oregon Department of Agriculture that Nowlin was also using the bogus company to conceal his ties to horses being shipped between States.
Officials in Washington State later said they would investigate the matter as a licensed veterinarian, Dr. Kalie Mercer, issued the health certificates for Nowlin’s bogus company. However, a Washington State official also explained that veterinarians often rely on the information presented by owners and consignees about a horse when issuing a CVI, but did admit that veterinarians may want to consider verifying businesses before issuing certificates under their name.
When reached for comment back in September of last year about the issuance of CVI’s under the bogus business Mercer said: “I’m not interested in commenting on any of this. Thank you, though.”
Nowlin was also found during the criminal investigation into Boston to be making calls pretending to be an unnamed reporter with Equestrian Media Group and making unfounded and scandalous allegations against multiple women who were known witnesses or complainants against Boston.
Nowlin’s conduct raised questions about potential charges of witness tampering.
In the letter from Boston’s attorney, Mee also disputed Equestrian Media Group’s reporting, which mirrored that of The Canyon Weekly and other news publications, that the district attorney declined the case due to an uncooperative witness was “extremely likely to be false.
“If the DA did not file charges, it was because they felt there was not [sic] probable cause or sufficient evidence to support the charge,” said Mee.
Mee’s claim was rebuffed by multiple indirect statements made by Marion County Deputy District Attorney Brendan Murphy.
Not only did Murphy confirm that the case was dropped due to an uncooperative witness in an October 3rd, 2023 email to Equestrian Media Group, but he also went on to explain that a subpoena was considered. Still, he explained the consideration of the difficulty with an out-of-state witness, who was later reported to be Nowlin himself.
According to The Canyon Weekly, Murphy also said that a key witness was out of state and “unwilling to cooperate with the prosecution.”
Murphy also confirmed the same in a mid-October email to Jessica Parker, a now estranged friend of Boston’s who was one of the early sources of complaints against Boston for horse abuse. Murphy explained that the evidence standard required that the person who initially received the self-recorded video from Boston, which Nowlin also admitted to being, would have to testify.
Nowlin also said he would never cooperate with police against Boston in a recorded phone conversation with one of the complainants.
In the closing of the letter on Boston’s behalf sent to Equestrian Media Group, Mee stated: “Ms. Boston demands that all articles containing factually erroneous references to her court appearances, her ‘charges’, her ‘abuse’ of a horse, and her ‘heavy involvement’ are removed immediately and a retraction is published by Northwest horse [sic] report [sic].”
“If you do not comply within 14 days of receiving this letter, Geneva Boston will be forced to exercise all legal options available to her, including pursuing actions for defamation of character, libel, slander, harassment, and negligent inflection of emotional distress,” said Mee.
Despite the 14-day warning in the legal threat letter from Boston’s attorney being dated November 7th, 2023, no legal action appeared to have been taken between that date and January 4th, 2024, when Equestrian Media Group’s attorney mailed our response.
“Simply put, there is no legal basis for any of your claims due to the truth of the statements in EMG’s publications and various press protections under the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution,” said Turk on behalf of Equestrian Media Group in its reply letter.
“There are no legal grounds for your claims, and any lawsuit for defamation, harassment, and/or negligent infliction of emotional distress will be quickly disposed. EMG reserves all rights to seek attorneys’ fees from Geneva Boston in the event of meritless litigation.”
Equestrian Media Group would promptly file a motion to dismiss on any such potential legal claim under what is known as Anti-SLAPP laws. These laws often function by allowing a defendant to promptly file a motion to strike or dismiss the case on the grounds that the case involves protected speech on a matter of public concern.
As of press time, it did not appear that Boston has filed any suit against this publication, its reporters, or any other media publication or journalist. No response to the reply letter from Equestrian Media Group’s attorney has been received.
If you’d like to help Equestrian Media Group with potential legal defense costs or other battles related to public records which we strive to obtain for our readers, please visit this link: https://nwhorsereport.com/donations/records-legal-support-fund/
Salem, Ore. – Following a previous refusal by the Oregon Humane Society and its Humane Law Enforcement (HLE) division to turn over public records to Equestrian Media Group related to the notorious horse neglect case involving Gwenyth Davies, the Oregon Department of Justice has issued an order that determines the HLE is subject to Oregon public records law and is indeed a ‘functional equivalent’ of government.
According to the Associated Press, Davies was arrested in 2019 after 61 horses were seized from her property near Eugene, Oregon. Davies is also currently wanted on a warrant after prosecutors alleged in court filings that she violated multiple conditions of her probation. This is now the second time Davies has violated probation following her 2020 sentencing, with her first probation violation in 2021 that was first reported by Equestrian Media Group.
On November 22nd, the Oregon Department of Justice issued the Nov 22nd order which granted Equestrian Media Group’s petition and declared the Oregon Humane Society must comply with and is subject to Oregon Public Records Law (OPRL).
“To the extent that OHS engages in law enforcement activities, it is the functional equivalent of a public body for the Public Records Law,” the order signed by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Udland said.
In October, Equestrian Media Group submitted a public records petition with the Oregon Attorney General after Colin Hunter with Bradley Bernstein Sands, an attorney representing OHS, shockingly argued that the organization was “private” and that its law enforcement entity was not subject to Oregon Public Records Law (OPRL).
This publication’s success also came despite not retaining legal counsel during the petition proceeding with the Oregon Department of Justice. The petition was also only submitted after the OHS continued to delay responses to this publication’s records request and initially signaling the appearance that it was working to produce records per the OPRL.
While the OPRL on its face does not cover private organizations, a 1994 Oregon Supreme Court ruling in Marks v. McKenzie High School Fact-Finding Team laid out a 6-part “functional equivalent” test often referred to as the “Marks test” that determines when private organizations, or parts thereof, are subject to public records law.
According to the Oregon Attorney General’s Public Records Manual, “On its face, the Public Records Law does not apply to private entities such as nonprofit corporations and cooperatives. However, if the ostensibly private entity is the ‘functional equivalent’ of a public body, the Public Records Law applies to it.”
Equestrian Media Group initially submitted its petition with the Multnomah County District Attorney, as the OHS was also not technically a state agency over which the Oregon DOJ typically has jurisdiction when it comes to public records appeal petitions. It was later determined that the DOJ was the proper venue as the HLE would be considered the functional equivalent of a State law enforcement entity instead of a local public body.
The public records order issued by the DOJ declared that the Oregon Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement entity is subject to public records.
In the petition, Equestrian Media Group argued that OHS’ law enforcement division was a functional equivalent of government: “The claim by OHS that its law enforcement branch is not a ‘functional equivalent’ is beyond infeasible,” the appeal petition stated.
“The delegation of law enforcement functions, which carry a heavy weight of powers even when wielded by the government directly, is a prime example of the purpose of Oregon Public Records Law when it comes to a determination of functional equivalency and the rights of the people to inspect such records.”
OHS also stated in support of its argument that the HLE accounted for only 3.3% of the organization’s expenditures.
“While immeasurably important in promoting the enforcement of Oregon’s animal cruelty laws, the organization’s HLE function represents a relatively small proportion of its operations and expenditures,” OHS said in its October 19th response to the Oregon Attorney General on the petition.
Equestrian Media Group countered in a rebuttal response that such an argument was irrelevant, stating that it had not been argued that the entirety of the OHS was a functional equivalent of government subject to OPRL, but only the HLE division.
“OHS’ attempts to claim that the size of HLE, being only 3% of its budget, weighs in the overall balancing test under Marks. We disagree, and for some of the same premise[s] outlined in (1), this is not an assessment of OHS as a whole, but simply an assessment of the HLE entity for which we are seeking records. We have not argued that the entire OHS would be subject to Oregon Public Records Law, and the fact that the HLE is only 3% of OHS’ budget is irrelevant in determining the functional equivalency of that division alone.”
This publication went on to also point out in the rebuttal response concerns that privatization of government functions could provide a curtain on public trust and transparency.
“In our modern democracy, the implication that the government can delegate the most powerful authority even wielded by government itself to a private entity that would then not be subject to the extensive expectations and legal precedence, both state and federal, of transparency and accountability, is nothing but chilling. It runs the great risk of further eroding the already low historic levels of trust our society has in law enforcement.”
The order issued by the DOJ ultimately concurred with these and other arguments made.
“Because we find that such functions are traditionally governmental in nature, we conclude that the policy of ensuring public access to information on which governmental decisions are based requires OHS to make records relating to is law enforcement activities available for public inspection,” said Deputy Attorney General Udland.
Udland went on to question other arguments made by the OHS which included questions on law enforcement functions performed by the HLE division being traditionally associated with government.
“Although these examples demonstrate that OHS has long been affiliated with the enforcement of the state’s animal cruelty laws and that the state has, at times, vested humane law enforcement authority in certain OHS employees, we are not persuaded by OHS’ argument,” said Udland.
“[T]he individuals employed by OHS who conduct animal cruelty investigations and act as certified police officers, are authorized to act in the name of the State of Oregon and charged with the duty to act under color of Oregon law, consistent with the ethical, legal and policy standards and requirements which apply to every sworn police officer of the State[.]”
Following the order, OHS was afforded more time to formally respond to Equestrian Media Group according to legal timelines typically afforded to a public body: “Because this order is the first notice to OHS that it must comply with the Public Records Law as to its humane law enforcement operations, the various rights and responsibilities associated with that law, including the processing timeframes prescribed by ORS 192.329, attach as of the date of this order.”
Despite the Oregon DOJ’s ruling, the OHS is now refusing to provide the requested records citing other OPRL exemptions. In a December 8th email to this editor, Hunter stated:
“Following HLE’s review of responsive records in its possession, I can report that all responsive records are exempt from disclosure pursuant to ORS 192.345(3), in that they constitute “investigatory information compiled for criminal law purposes” as to which the public interest does not require disclosure. In particular, disclosure of the records in question would likely interfere with the ongoing criminal proceedings relating to Ms. Davies. Any public interest in disclosure of the records at this time is insufficient to overcome the countervailing interest in protecting the integrity of those proceedings.”
Hunter went on to say, “You are entitled to seek review of HLE’s decision pursuant to ORS 192.411.”
Equestrian Media Group has not yet decided if it will once again appeal to the Oregon Attorney General, but we believe the withholding of part of the requested records, namely previous email communications that don’t specifically involve the current probation violation, holds little investigatory value in keeping private.
Ongoing legal issues for Davies & questions of police intimidation throughout investigative reportingefforts
Numerous sources, who have spoken only on the condition of anonymity, have alleged that Davies has fled the state and is no longer in Lane County. Davies was alleged by the State prosecutors to have failed to keep up with her restitution payments and comply with providing photographs of the few horses she was allowed to keep in her possession.
No details have been made available regarding Davies’ horses, or if authorities have taken any other action amid the new concerns.
Court records showed she was behind for several months– but last paid in September. Since the issuance of a warrant and payment in September, no further restitution payments have been made by Davies or her husband who had also been noted to have paid for her.
Inquiries made with the Lane County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) asking about any efforts to apprehend Davies– who is believed to have fled the state– have gone without response. LCSO has been far less responsive to Equestrian Media Group after concerns were raised regarding the conduct of an LCSO deputy’s illegal detention of Equestrian Media Group’s Managing Editor.
Deputy Bradly May illegally detained and attempted to intimidate this reporter into leaving a public highway and stopping an in-progress interview with a neighbor of Erica & Raina Ott, a mom and daughter duo who were also charged and convicted in connection with the Gwenyth Davies horse neglect case.
Raina Ott had a warrant for her arrest at the time for an alleged probation violation. 911 audio obtained by Equestrian Media Group also confirmed that Ott falsely alleged to dispatch that our reporters had been coming to her residence for the preceding five days, prompting the response by Deputy May and a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) officer at the property off Highway 58 near Eugene.
The location did not have any permanent dwellings on the property and was allegedly the commercial location of the Ott’s equestrian and dog facilities, but it is believed the duo and others were living in multiple trailers on the property.
An internal investigation of May was initiated, but follow-up by the agency was self-admittedly lacking and delayed. After being prompted for the last time in August, the LCSO did provide a response dated August 30th but provided no details on the actions it took involving Deputy May.
“We take all allegations seriously and we have reviewed the issues you raised and have taken appropriate action. The Sheriff’s Office apologizes for the delay in response to you in writing with the resolution of your complaint.”
Deputy May had also alleged during the altercation with this reporter that Oregon was a “stop and ID” state, which was inaccurate. Stop & ID refers to state laws that make it a primary or secondary offense if an individual stopped by police must identify themselves, typically providing a name and sometimes date of birth, depending on the state. There is no such requirement to carry and provide actual identification unless the stop involved the driving of a motor vehicle.
Even if Oregon had such a law, this reporter had already identified himself to May at the start of the interaction before the detention, providing a full name and even press identification.
The encounter was not part of a traffic stop and is an issue that has frequently been addressed by courts across the country, including the U.S. Supreme Court cases of Terry v. Ohio, Hiibel v. Sixth Judicial Dist. Court of Nevada, and Brown v. Texas, among others.
May did not appear to have the constitutional grounds to effect the detention for simply refusing politely to provide a driver’s license when this editor disputed Ott’s inflammatory allegations amid May’s questions that appeared dissatisfied with the public filming and consensual interviewing of Ott’s neighbors.
Instead– according to multiple civil rights attorneys– May’s action appeared to have been a retaliatory action under the 1st Amendment known as a Section 1983 violation.
In a shocking act of lacking public transparency and accountability, officials with the Bureau of Land Management have also refused to even identify the officer who assisted Deputy May on the scene.
The officer, later identified as Raymond Huffman, also claimed during the encounter that his body-worn camera was not running when asked. He also refused a polite request to turn on his body-worn camera, allegedly in violation of agency policy. Both officers refused to fully identify themselves during the encounter when asked as well.
Freedom of Information Act requests submitted with the BLM took nearly half a year for responses and ultimately included nearly zero material. Emails provided redacted the entire names and email addresses of communications between what is believed to be a supervisor from the BLM Springfield office in Oregon to the officer or another official. The content of one email simply indicated a request to “call me”, avoiding further communication that would likely be subject to public record.
The BLM’s responses did not acknowledge any requests for the body-worn camera in the event the officer may have actually been recording the encounter. LCSO has not yet issued body-worn cameras to their deputies, so none were available.
Despite the BLM’s repeated refusal to even identify Huffman, a public records request with Lane County for a listing of the officer names linked to their identifiers in their computer-aided-dispatch system was successful in leading to Huffman’s eventual identification by Equestrian Media Group.
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An undated photo that was circulated on the Cowgirl 911 Facebook group allegedly showed the location where Trina McDonald’s horses were seized from in Curry County, Oregon.
La Grande, Ore. – A convicted felon who was charged earlier this year with multiple counts of horse neglect, as well as separate charges in another county for felon in possession of a firearm, has been arrested by La Grande Police in northeast Oregon after nearly 10 months on the run from authorities.
The arrest comes amid new charges alleged by La Grande Police last week against Trina Louise McDonald, 56; including giving false information to a peace officer, tampering with evidence, and multiple counts of theft.
La Grande Police Lieutenant Jason Hays told Equestrian Media Group that McDonald was arrested last Tuesday after allegedly stealing clothing containing wallets, money, and other possessions of two elderly persons from a senior center. One of the victims was 101 years old Hays said.
The Union County Senior Center, operated by the Community Connection of Northeast Oregon, politely declined to speak about the incident when reached for comment. According to Hays, their video surveillance played a critical role in promptly identifying McDonald and making an arrest.
“Our officers ended up catching up with her at her house, she lied about who she was and gave false information. She did cooperate with the police investigation after that and we were able to recover the stolen items, but not all the money that was stolen,” Hays said, while also confirming the stolen money itself was about $250.
McDonald was charged earlier this year in Curry County, Oregon, on two counts of animal neglect. According to court records, Curry County District Attorney Joshua Spansail alleged that McDonald “did unlawfully and with criminal negligence fail to provide minimum care for an animal…”.
She was allegedly provided multiple warnings about the conditions of her horses by the US Forest Service and Curry County. At the time McDonald was allegedly homeless and living out of a horse trailer. Posts on the popular Facebook group Cowgirl 911 showed countless equestrians offering to assist in rehoming– offers that McDonald allegedly refused repeatedly.
The horses were ultimately seized by the Curry County Sheriff’s Office which was assisted by Strawberry Mountain Mustangs, a 501(c)(3) horse rescue organization located in Roseburg. The rescue also came under attack and numerous threats by McDonald for many months, leading to concerns being raised with local authorities and requests with other law enforcement entities in both Douglas and Lake Counties in Oregon.
A warrant was then issued for McDonald after she failed to attend hearings in the Curry County case in February.
That same month, McDonald was arrested on a warrant issued weeks prior and booked in Malheur County on a felony charge of Felon in Possession of a Firearm from a September 2022 incident involving an interaction with Oregon State Police. According to the grand jury indictment, McDonald was convicted of felony robbery in 1996 in Monterey, California.
A letter submitted by McDonald to the court in her animal neglect case in Curry County asked the judge to rescind the warrant claiming she was unable to attend the hearing following her arrest days before in Malheur County. The request was ultimately denied and the warrant was left in place by the Curry County judge.
McDonald then failed to appear by telephone for a May hearing in Malheur County on the illegal gun possession charge, prompting a new warrant to be issued for her arrest– leaving her with two outstanding warrants for failure to appear.
The case has also gained some social media attention after Strawberry Mountain Mustang’s founder and executive director, Darla Clark, was found to be a quick target of general threats and alleged harassment by McDonald. The issues prompted Clark to push Curry County Sheriff John Word and the District Attorney for help and protection.
At one point the Lake County Sheriff’s Office attempted, unsuccessfully, to apprehend McDonald in Christmas Valley south of Bend, Oregon. McDonald had reportedly worked at a local gas station.
Clark thanked Sheriff Ward in her statement released late last week to Equestrian Media Group following the news of Mcdonald’s arrest, saying in part, “My deepest appreciation to Sheriff John Ward and all agencies statewide who take animal abuse and neglect seriously,” but made no mention of the District Attorney’s office.
Clark had previously expressed frustration to Equestrian Media Group with the Curry County DA’s handling of the case and alleged lack of experience in handling large animal neglect cases.
That included Clark’s allegation that the DA’s office improperly handled confidential witness information that she believed ended up in McDonald’s hands and helped facilitate the campaign of harassment and threats against her and the rescue.
Clark also reported that the DA’s office at one point even asked if they would grant “visitation” rights to McDonald.
Equestrian Media Group had previously made attempts to speak with Curry County DA’s office regarding Clark’s concerns, but our calls were never returned.
Sherriff Ward did respond promptly to our previous inquiries from our editor and outlined the challenging efforts in handling this case, including highlighting the resource issues in their county about access to veterinarians and large animal rescues. He also expressed his appreciation for the support from Strawberry Mountain Mustangs.
“McDonald’s lengthy criminal history proves that people who victimize animals will always go on to victimize others whom they view as easy targets. My thoughts are with her most recent victims in Union County,” said Clark’s statement.
“The McDonald case also sheds light on how difficult the work rescues can be. We are often targeted and even stalked in our efforts to simply support law enforcement and assist these incredible animals. Our work is often dangerous, tiring, and quite often heartbreaking, but seeing the light come back in the eyes of an animal near death makes it worth it.”
According to Union County Sheriff Cody Bowen, McDonald was being held in their jail on the new charges as well as outstanding warrants from both Curry and Malheur County.
McDonald was then arraigned earlier today in Union County Circuit Court but was ultimately granted release.
Union County District Attorney Kelsie McDaniel told Equestrian Media Group this afternoon that they objected to McDonald’s release due to her extensive criminal history, including the two outstanding warrants. McDaniel didn’t provide any further comment about McDonald’s new charges citing ethics rules.
McDonald is now scheduled for another hearing in Union County in January.
According to court and jail record information, McDonald did appear to remain in custody on either the Curry County or Malheur County warrant despite her release being granted earlier today on the new charges in Union County. It was unclear if or when McDonald might now be transported to Malheur County Jail.
A call made to McDonald’s newly appointed court attorney offering an opportunity for comment was not returned before press time.
This is a developing story that you can count on us to keep you updated on.
Kristi Lynn Finch, 59, has had a warrant issued by an Island County Superior Court Judge after failing to appear for multiple hearings. A Deputy Prosecutor has alleged Finch is planning to flee Washington State.
Coupeville, Wash. – A woman from Island County in Washington State and charged with numerous counts of animal cruelty has had a warrant issued for her arrest after failing to appear at multiple recent hearings in Island County Superior Count.
Kristi Lynn Finch, 59, and her attorney both failed to attend a trial readiness hearing on Nov. 20th, leading the judge to reschedule a week later.
Over Christmas in 2022, the Island County Sheriff’s Office found itself in the midst of an investigation at Finch’s property after two horses were found dead on the property outside Oak Harbor, allegedly due to starvation.
The story, initially broken by Equestrian Media Group last December, also included the prompt execution of a search warrant on the property after investigators were not allowed into the residence.
Another fifty-plus dogs and cats were seized and evaluated by veterinarians, some allegedly in horrific conditions and severely emancipated. Twelve horses were also seized with the assistance of Safe Equine and Pasado Safe Haven and placed into foster homes until the animals were later forfeited through a civil proceeding tied to the case against Lynch.
Over a decade ago Finch was also charged with felony animal cruelty in Skagit County in connection with her “aussie” breading business, Ausland Aussie’s.
On Nov 27th, Eric Lewis, Finch’s attorney, did finally appear at the rescheduled hearing. However, Finch herself was again a no-show. Deputy Prosecutor Michael Safstrom requested that Judge Christon Skinner issue a warrant for her arrest on a $10,000 bond. Countless advocates on social media promptly questioned why a warrant was not issued then, or why Finch’s attorney did not face any sanction by the court.
During the court proceeding, Safstrom stated he had reason to believe that Finch was preparing to leave the state to set up a new animal breeding facility– a move that would put her in direct violation of her court-ordered release agreement by leaving the state.
Safstrom also claimed that Finch did not want to appear via telephone as she might be concerned about being asked where she was– but ultimately admitted he didn’t have any reliable information on Finch’s actual whereabouts. Salfstrom also made note that Finch is presently charged with tampering with a witness– demonstrating her disregard for the court’s instructions.
Lewis stated that he had been in contact with his client within recent days but had no knowledge of why she failed to attend the hearing. He stated that Finch had attended all previous hearings before not appearing on Nov 20th, and suggested a $1,000 bond on the warrant.
Judge Skiller issued a warrant for Finch’s arrest at $2,500.
A source, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity, stated they believed Finch was likely headed to Mississippi. Earlier this year, Finch requested permission to visit her daughter in Mississippi but was denied by the Judge.
Following hearings related to forfeiture throughout the summer, which Finch fought against unsuccessfully, she has gone through two previous attorneys prior to Lewis. Her first attorney had a conflict of interest and the second attorney filed a motion to terminate representation due to disagreements with Finch related to defense strategy.
If you have information on Finch’s whereabouts you can contact the Island County Sheriff’s Office at (360) 678-4422 or email their tip line at tips@islandcountywa.gov
This is a developing story that we will keep you updated on.Additional updates on this story will be included shortly.
New York, NY – A cargo plane departing New York bound for Belgium was forced to return to John F. Kennedy International Airport last week after a horse got loose, according to a video between pilots and air traffic control posted to YouTube by VASAviation.
The Air Atlanta Icandic-operated Boeing 747-400 had taken off from JFK airport on Nov. 9. It was in the air for under an hour before pilots alerted air traffic control to the issue, according to the archived ATC audio recording.
“We have a live animal, [a] horse onboard the plane, and the horse managed to escape the stall,” the pilot can be heard telling an air traffic controller.
We don’t have a problem as of flying-wise, but we need to return … back to New York. We cannot get the horse secured.”
The pilot went on to request that a veterinarian be available at JFK upon its return.
ATC also the crew clearance to dump fuel before re-landing, according to the audio. The plane then dumped about 6,000 gallons of fuel between Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, according to a report from the islands’ local NPR station.
Based on FlightAware data, the horse-carrying plane was in the air for around an hour and a half before touching back down at JFK.
An Air Atlanta Icelandic spokesperson confirmed the audio posted to YouTube.
Attendees in a past Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue course receiving training. (Photo Credit – Oregon Horse Council)
Eugene, Ore. – A large animal emergency rescue course that provides training for first responders handling equine and other large animal rescues is scheduled to take place in Eugene, Oregon, on November 18th and 19th.
According to the Oregon Horse Council (OHC), the training is open to anyone but is specifically geared towards fire department personnel, first responders, veterinarians, search & rescue members, animal rescue specialists, livestock breeders, horse trainers, and any large animal owner that wants to be more prepared.
OHC is the host and primary sponsor of the course which is being taught by world-renowned expert, Dr. Rebecca Husted. The course, known as the Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue (TLAER), is an intense training that demonstrates the proper ways to respond and prepare for large animal emergencies, including equine.
(Photo Credit – Oregon Horse Council)
According to the OHC, the TLAER training courses introduce the latest concepts, techniques, procedures, and equipment being used today – to learn to work together on a scene and build a great incident action plan, then extricate the animal safely for both the animal and responders. Attendees who attend the entire course will receive a certificate of completion.
Equestrian Media Group spoke with OHC’s Executive Director Brandi Ebner who explained that they will be holding another course in April at the Hood River Saddle Club.
“The course held in November in Eugene and again in April in Hood River is the 2-day Awareness course. It is the basic level that gives anyone a good understanding of scene management and techniques for rescue,” said Ebner.
“The Oregon Horse Council produces most of the courses held in Oregon and we have had hundreds of first responders, veterinarian staff, and large animal owners go through the program since we first started hosting in 2018.”
Ebner went on to explain that they highly encourage horse owners to see if their veterinarians and local sheriff’s and fire & rescue personnel are TLAER certified.
“If not, please invite them to attend one of our courses. Our goal is to have trained people everywhere in Oregon so when the next emergency comes around, a knowledgeable person is a quick call away,” explained Ebner.
“Anyone is welcome to join the course, anyone who trail rides, has a boarding facility, or just has large animals should definitely consider attending.”
The Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue course is geared towards first responders but is also open to anyone who trail rides, has a boarding facility, or just has large animals. (Photo Credit – Oregon Horse Council)
Registration is $229 per person for the Awareness level course – includes continental breakfast, lunch, beverages, and snacks for both days. Registration is non-refundable but is fully transferable to another person. Participation is limited to 100 people and is nearly completely booked according to a recent Facebook post by OHC.
Longview, Wash. – A married man from Washington State was arrested by police after he tried to hire a prostitute for sex with him and his miniature horse, according to the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office who have charged him with animal cruelty and patronizing a prostitute.
Jad Shipman, 48, was arrested last week following a criminal investigation. Shipman was uncovered after using TNABoard, an online site advertising sex/escort services.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Shipman used the screen name “TheMalamute” and made an offer of $440 for another user to “have sexual contact with him and his miniature horse.” Shipman also used an email address containing the phrase “hotmare,” the report stated.
The other user– identified as “Diane”– provided police with copies of sexual messages sent by Shipman, allegedly stating he wanted to “watch a gal eat out the miniature horse that I have while sitting on my male member.”
Shipman explained his failure in trying to facilitate the encounter with others: “Last two gals I asked said it was noticeably outside their comfort zone.”
When interviewed by the Cowlitz County Sheriff investigators, Shipman reportedly “admitted to being TNA Board user ‘TheMalamute’ and soliciting ‘Diane’ to ‘eat out’ or ‘lick’ one of his miniature horses’ ‘private parts.’”
Shipman explained he “hoped that she would be more agreeable to having sexual contact with him and his miniature horse.”
“Shipman admitted to having prior sexual contact with animals,” according to the probable cause affidavit.
A sheriff’s investigator reported seeing two miniature horses in the pasture of the Shipman’s acre property Shipman and his wife purchased for $365k.
Shipman was released on a $1,000 bail and ordered to have no contact with animals. TheCowlitz County Prosecutor Ryan Jurvakainen clarified after initial publication that the charge for animal cruelty involved an “attempted” element which dropped it to a misdemeanor level offense, leading to the charges being referred to the lower District Court instead of the Superior Court as it was no longer a felony level crime.
This is a developing story you can count on us to keep you updated on.
Note: After initial publication, the Cowlitz County Prosecuting Attorney clarified that the charges were deferred to the District Court due to crimes statutory offense level, not due to the prosecutor’s discretion.
