BRIDGEPORT, Neb. (AP) – A western Nebraska rancher convicted of letting wild horses and burros starve has been released on parole.
Eagle radio station KCOW reports Jason Meduna was released last month.
Meduna was convicted in January 2010 of 145 counts of animal cruelty and was given two consecutive terms of 20-months-to-five years, for a total of 40 months-to-10 years.
As part of his sentence, Meduna was barred from owning, possessing or living with livestock for 30 years. But the Nebraska Appeals Court struck down that provision last year.
Meduna owned the 3-Strikes mustang ranch south of Alliance, where many of the horses and burros were found emaciated and suffering from a variety of ailments in 2009. Dozens of animals were found dead. The surviving horses and burros were given new homes.