Rancher Pleads No Contest to Theft, Cruelty
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From Times Staff and Wire Reports
Buellton rancher Slick Gardner pleaded no contest to animal cruelty and grand theft in a deal with prosecutors that requires him to give up the more than 400 wild horses remaining on his ranch.
The horses will be put up for adoption in groups of 20 or 30.
As part of Thursday’s plea deal, prosecutors agreed to drop 10 additional charges, including animal cruelty and check fraud counts, which could have led to a 10-year prison term. Gardner, 57, now faces up to a year in County Jail when sentenced Oct. 6.
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