LOS LUNAS, N.M. — The owner of a Los Lunas livestock auction has pleaded guilty to some misdemeanor counts under an agreement that led to the dismissal of the most serious charges in a horse-abuse case.
Dennis Chavez had faced 12 misdemeanors, including animal cruelty. He pleaded guilty Monday to four counts of lack of a bill of sale, The other charges were dropped under the agreement with the District Attorney’s Office in Valencia County.
The charges involved several horses at Southwest Livestock Auction in June 2012 that appeared to be dehydrated and exhausted. An animal-welfare group recorded video of horses that were unable to stand.
One horse died at the auction grounds. Three others were euthanized.
Chavez’s attorney, Gary Mitchell, said the horses had been left on the property without the knowledge of his client and that Chavez would have tended to the horses if he had known they were there.
