Remaining defendants in horse soring case plead guilty in Chattanooga federal courthouse

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

The remaining three defendants facing federal charges related to horse soring and other charges pleaded guilty Tuesday to a reduced indictment.

Barney Davis, 39, Christen Altman, 26, and Jeffery Bradford, 33, pleaded guilty in U.S. Magistrate Bill Carter's courtroom on charges that related to violating the federal Horse Protection Act.

The three defendants are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Harry "Sandy" Mattice on Feb. 13, 2012.

In March, a federal grand jury indicted four defendants on 34 counts related to horse soring, an illegal practice in which bolt-like items are driven into horses' hooves, foreign objects are attached to animal's legs or chemicals are used to produce pain and sensitivity to alter horses' gaits.

The fourth defendant, Paul Blackburn, 35, pleaded guilty on Oct. 18 to one count of conspiracy to violate the act. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 23, 2012.

For complete details, see tomorrow's Times Free Press.