Neighbor dispute at heart of horse shootings
NEW BERLIN – An ongoing dispute between accused felon Lauren McMaster and his neighbor – whose name has not been released – lies at the heart of McMaster’s alleged shooting of six horses at a property adjacent to Hunts Pond Road, according to authorities.
McMaster, 75, has been charged with six counts each of criminal mischief, a class D felony, and cruelty to animals, a class A misdemeanor, said Chenango County First Assistant District Attorney Stephen Dunshee. He could – if convicted on all charges – face up to two consecutive seven-year terms in state prison, the maximum sentence.
Captain James Barnes of the New York State Police said an investigation into the shootings is still underway and “there are still some issues” that need to be resolved. The six horses, which belonged to McMaster’s neighbor, were shot and killed with a 12-gauge shotgun.
On Tuesday, the state police were called to the scene again, when a bull – also owned by McMaster’s neighbor – made its way onto McMaster’s property. The bull was escorted safely back to its owner’s land.
Said Barnes, “We became aware of [the situation] about a week prior to the incident,” who added state police received the first complaint of animals wandering onto McMaster’s property April 20.
McMaster was arraigned in the Town of Columbus Court Monday and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $500 cash, $1,000 bond bail. He has since been released after posting bail and the matter has been turned over to the county’s district attorney’s office. According to Dunshee, the case will be presented to a Chenango County grand jury May 16.
McMaster, 75, has been charged with six counts each of criminal mischief, a class D felony, and cruelty to animals, a class A misdemeanor, said Chenango County First Assistant District Attorney Stephen Dunshee. He could – if convicted on all charges – face up to two consecutive seven-year terms in state prison, the maximum sentence.
Captain James Barnes of the New York State Police said an investigation into the shootings is still underway and “there are still some issues” that need to be resolved. The six horses, which belonged to McMaster’s neighbor, were shot and killed with a 12-gauge shotgun.
On Tuesday, the state police were called to the scene again, when a bull – also owned by McMaster’s neighbor – made its way onto McMaster’s property. The bull was escorted safely back to its owner’s land.
Said Barnes, “We became aware of [the situation] about a week prior to the incident,” who added state police received the first complaint of animals wandering onto McMaster’s property April 20.
McMaster was arraigned in the Town of Columbus Court Monday and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $500 cash, $1,000 bond bail. He has since been released after posting bail and the matter has been turned over to the county’s district attorney’s office. According to Dunshee, the case will be presented to a Chenango County grand jury May 16.
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