By Tracie Sullivan, For Iron County Today
An Iron County man accused of transporting severely malnourished horses from Arizona to Utah in an effort to conceal them from law enforcement is now facing multiple animal cruelty charges after investigators found several horses dead or dying.
Nathaniel Brendan LeBaron, 49, was arrested April 30 in the parking lot of the Iron County Sheriff’s Office. He was then booked into the Iron County Correctional Facility on nine counts of intentional animal cruelty and one count of obstruction of justice, according to charging documents filed in 5th District Court.
The investigation began after Bureau of Land Management officials in Arizona reported finding horses belonging to LeBaron in what investigators described as a severely dehydrated and malnourished condition.
“The BLM officer in charge of the case stated she had never seen horses in that bad of a condition,” the affidavit states.
According to court records, several horses had already died from malnourishment, while others were reported to be in the process of dying.
Authorities said Arizona officials directed LeBaron to re-home the horses because of their condition. Instead, investigators allege he transported several of the animals to Iron County “in attempts to conceal them from law enforcement.”
A reporting party later provided investigators with photos and video of horses allegedly being kept in poor condition in Iron County.
Video taken April 17 showed two dead horses in a corral along with several others described as severely malnourished, with protruding bones visible, court documents state.
Investigators reported the horses did not have access to hay and instead were being fed straw, “which does not provide any life sustaining nutrition.”
When investigators located the horses in Iron County, multiple horses had already died and another was so weak from dehydration and malnourishment it could not stand and later had to be euthanized by a veterinarian.
Police also allege LeBaron refused repeated requests to provide a physical address where additional horses were being kept.
Investigators further allege LeBaron admitted he still had additional horses on his property and had enlisted help relocating some of the remaining animals elsewhere in Utah following the initial seizure.
Authorities believe between five and seven additional horses were transported to Panterra, Utah.
As a result of receiving proper food and care, the horses seized in Iron County have begun showing “signs of progress and significant gains in their condition,” according to the affidavit.