BLMs "3 Strikes" Horses Starved, Owner is Convicted

Ranch owner sentenced for animal neglect
posted by: Ann King

ALLIANCE, Neb. - On Tuesday, Jason Meduna, former owner of the 3-Strikes Ranch in Nebraska, was been sentenced to prison for up to 120 months for criminal neglect of animals.



9NEWS reported from Nebraska last April when more than 30 horses were found dead on Meduna's ranch.

In January, the 43-year-old Meduna was found guilty of 145 counts of cruel neglect of an animal resulting in death or injury.
Of the 145 counts, 31 of the horses were dead and many more were either sick or injured.

A majority of the horses on the ranch were from the Bureau of Land Management's Wild Mustang Roundup program.

Under Nebraska law, Meduna will be eligible for parole in 20 months.

The judge also ordered Meduna to pay court costs of $3,813.64, and told him he could not reside with any animal for 30 years.

Meduna's attorney stated that the case will be appealed, and was granted an appeal bond hearing set for March 9.

Morrill County Judge Leo Dobrovolny divided the sentencing into two categories: one for the animals that died and one for those that were sick and injured.

Of the 31 felony counts charged on the the dead horses, the judge sentenced Meduna to 20 to 60 months on each count, and then ordered the 31 counts to be served concurrent with one another. On the remaining 114 felony counts concerning animals that were sick or injured, the judge also sentenced Meduna to 20 to 60 months on each count, with the 114 counts to be served concurrent.

Custody of the 200 surviving horses was signed over to Habitat for Horses in Texas.


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