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Charges of Equine Cruelty Detailed

Published: 11/30/2010

By Maddy B. Gray

Horse advocates in Maine and beyond are looking to early 2011, January 4 to be precise. That's when Brett and Alexis Ingraham will have their first court appearance to face Class D criminal charges of animal cruelty.
This summer, 15 horses were seized along with two dogs, four goats, and two pigs, from the Ingrahams at their rented farm in Clinton.

The painful, gritty details have been outed before on these pages, but here they are as presented by public officials, namely the Kennebec County District Attorney's Office and the Animal Welfare Program.

In the interest of informing the public of the details of the charges and the state's request to maintain possession of those animals, here are the court documents.
They include the names and details of many compromised horses as well as the state's request to maintain possession of all the animals seized.

Click here for Animal Cruelty Complaint against Brett Ingraham

Click here for Animal Cruelty Complaint against Alexis Ingraham

Click here for Possession Order

View Reader Comments:

11/30/2010 Donna H

There it is in black and white. Hopefully no plea deal will be struck as was done for the Waldoboro case. Maine needs to put some bite behind its animal cruelty laws...

11/30/2010 Roland

I'm curious to know if those other people mentioned were owners of the horses, paying boarding? Where are the horses now?

11/30/2010 Maddy

Regarding Roland's query, I believe those named are relations of Alexis. Roger and Betty Pelletier are her parents and have long been accused of animal cruelty, too. Apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

11/30/2010 Carolyn

Wish Abbey was included in there - so many don't seem to have a voice. I'm glad there's a post on this and I can attend the hearing.

11/30/2010 Becky

Fingers, toes and eyes crossed something will FINALLY happen to make this STOP!!! As always, Thanks for keeping us updated!!!!

11/30/2010 Margy

It's really nice to see these finally...I agree I hope they don't take this all out the window like they did the Waldaboro case.

11/30/2010 Estelle

Thanks for the update Maddy...glad at least those few were saved...what about what's happening in Burnham? Let's hope that they are not allowed animals again, although there are many ways around that when you have the type of friends they do.

12/1/2010 Ethel

it has long been recognised that an animal abuser frequently goes beyond that at some point. And to have such a retinue shines a light on a series of crimes long gone unpunished

12/1/2010 Barry

Why are they still able to keep and sell animals? They (under another name) are still advertising on horseville and other locations....

12/4/2010 Rose

If you are from Maine, or know someone from Maine PLEASE do this and PLEASE cross post this on your facebook page or anywhere else you can think to post it. We have to do what is right and make this crap stop and stop now...AWP has a long history of letting horses die...we have a duty as horse lovers to do what we can to help and emails and calls to the governor elect is a good start. I think of all the animals that would save from slow, painful, lingering deaths. Thanks everyone, please email, call and crosspost this. Paul LaPage email: schedule@lapage2010.com phone is 877-7616

12/5/2010 Rose

Sue Metzger was terminated as a District Humane Agent effective 12/10/10. This was done without due process, she was not ever allowed to present any proof to dispute any of the allegations brought against her. Nor was she ever allowed to see the original complaint or proof of the allegations brought against her. Also very important to note, the allegations were supposedly brought forward because of a complaint received by Norma Worley from Alexis Ingraham the day after the DA summonsed Alexis for selling a sick horse in Androscoggin County. Despite threats from Alexis that she would get Sue fired, Sue still did the right thing, investigated the case, took the information to the DA and the DA decided there was enough to prosecute. In short Sue did her job! Alexis Ingraham pleaded nolo on those charges and the judge found her guilty of the charges. Sue's record is unblemished, not one time has an animal she has been investigating died on her watch or deteriorated in condition, nor has she ever... lost a case that she took to court. Something is very wrong with this picture and the wrong starts with the upper management of AWP, HR and Agriculture. In addition to the original complaint supposedly made by Alexis Ingraham multiple charges were added after the fact that had nothing what so ever to do with anything that Ms. Ingraham could have had to the information to make additional complaint with unless the information was being supplied to her by someone in the upper management of AWP. The State of Maine as an employer has violated the constitutional rights of this employee. In addition the State of Maine and the Union for the Maine State Employees has allowed a violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement again. Other possible contacts regarding this travesty of justice, Representatives and Senators as well as those on the Agriculture Committee. You can find these all on the at www.main.gov web site. Contact the following people via, email, phone fax: Seth Bradstreet Commissioner of Agriculture Ned Porter Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture ... Governor Elect Paul LePage 877-7616 Contact for the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture phone and email are available here: http://www.maine.gov/agriculture/co/index.shtml Also contact the Attorney General's office: http://www.maine.gov/ag/

12/16/2010 Kathye Monroe

OMG i was jsut running through some of the updates and such and came across this about Sue !!!! I first ment Sue when she came to my place on call people said my horses was out in 90 degree weather with blankets on,, needless to say they was fly sheets and they all had run ins they could get inot as well as tree's and i had several in my barn in stalls with fans going .. She was very very good at her job. she checked out all my horse's and after talking to me a while sujested i might get involved and maybe take the courses and become a ACO. i kinda chuckled and thought about me going to some one's house on a call to find starving horses and me being arrested for punching some one ..lol I have had horses longer then most of the people posting on here have been alive .. the line older then dirt comes to mind.. Any who Sue knew her job, stuck to it and was damn good at it.This is SAD they need MORE people working in the state like her JUST like her ... Im afraid to think about what will happen to many animals because she isnt with them any longer .. Never give up your fight Sue we are all behind you every step of the way !!!! If you ever need me to speak for you Im here .. Just ask !!!

12/16/2010 Linda

Wish I could make the Jan court date on the Ingrahams, but cannot get off work. I hope there is a stop to their crazyness and I hope they will never be able to own another horse. The Burnham property must be checked out. It's a sad situation here in Maine when abused animals suffer at the hands of their owners.

"No one can teach riding so well as a horse" - CS Lewis