MOORPARK : Man Is Convicted of Animal Cruelty
A Ventura County jury convicted a Moorpark man on Thursday of four criminal counts for nearly starving to death his two horses in their Newbury Park pasture.
The jury in Superior Court found Michael Stephen Ney, 49, guilty of two felony counts of animal cruelty and two misdemeanor counts of not providing the horses with food or water.
Ney could receive 44 months in prison and a $40,000 fine for the felony convictions and another year in jail for the misdemeanors. Deputy Dist. Atty. Richard E. Simon said his office has not decided if it will seek a prison or jail term.
The Ventura County Humane Society found the two geldings at the pasture, 333 Newbury Lane, on Oct. 18. The horses--a thoroughbred and a Hanoverian--were each about 350 pounds underweight, according to court testimony.
During the four-day trial, Simon showed the videotapes and pictures of the horses before they were confiscated and images of them after they were cared for by the Humane Society.
On the stand, Ney testified that he properly cared for the horses and that their drop in weight was due to medical problems. Simon disputed that contention.
“What the evidence showed is their condition was due to neglect, and not medical problems,” he said after the verdict.
Since being seized, the thoroughbred has gained about 400 pounds while the Hanoverian has put on about 310 pounds, according to court testimony.
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