Madera County –A second arrest has been made in horse theft case of Lacey, a 21-year old Quarter Horse mare, and Squirt, a 26-year old Quarter Horse gelding, two horses listed on Stolen Horse International’s NetPosse.com website.

The Madera County Sheriff office reports that the AG Crimes Investigation Unit has confirmed that one of the horses, Lacey, was shipped out of state for slaughter.

Billy Ray Brown, Jr., age 45 of Madera is accused of shipping horses out of state to a place that sells horses for slaughter, which according to Penal Code 598c(a) is a felony punishable by law. Brown could be incarcerated in a state prison for up to three years for this crime.

A Brand Inspector for the California Department of Food & AG, Summer Rose Tex, age 27 surrendered to authorities on April 26, 2014. Tex never purchased either horse and provided a verbal agreement to the owner to transport Lacey and Squirt to the Harris Ranch. The Madera County Sheriff’s Office alleges Tex stole both horse because she never took the horses to the ranch.

Stacy Hampton, owner of the two horses thought the two would spend their days as pasture buddies when Tex, who was also considered a friend at the time, took them to be dropped off at Harris Ranch, The horses were never dropped off at the ranch.

By April 8th, 2014, eight months after they vanished, Hampton reported their disappearance to the Sheriff’s Office and ten days later filed a report with Stolen Horse International, asking for help in finding Squirt and Lacey.

Adam McEwen, an AG Crimes Detective, followed the paper trail that showed the horses went to Canada.  It is believed that Lacey, and possibly Squirt too, were sold to the Florence Packing Company, located in Stanwood, Washington.

Lacey’s brand helped in identifying the fact that she was sold for slaughter in September 2013. It is believed that Squirt, who had no brand, was sold for the same reason and suffered the same fate. It is certain that Lacey was shipped to the Bouvry Exports slaughterhouse in Alberta, Canada.

It is with heavy heart that we report this story to you.  It is always our hopes that all horses will be found and brought home. Sometimes that just does not happen.  We are leaving Lacey and Squirt’s pages up so the public can learn their fate, and also in hopes that somehow what seems proof positive, is not.

Once upon a time Idaho, the very horse that inspired this organization and website, was believed to have suffered this fate during the 51 weeks she was missing after her theft.  Evidence pointed in the slaughter house direction. However, fate stepped into her life and on her 5^th sale she was spared this horrible ordeal.  It is our hope that Squirt was spared somewhere along the line and is still out there somewhere. We never give up hope, even against all odds.

See Lacey’s NetPosse.com report: http://netposse.com/view_report.asp?reportid=2221

See Squirt’s NetPosse.com report: http://www.netposse.com/view_report.asp?reportid=2224