Wild Horse Killings in NV

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The following comes for AOL/AP sources:

Subj:	Man Charged in Nev. Horse Shootings
Date:	1/12/99 7:21:40 PM Pacific Standard Time
From:	AOL News
BCC:	TrailTales

Man Charged in Nev. Horse Shootings

.c The Associated Press

 By SCOTT SONNER

RENO, Nev. (AP) -- Police arrested a Reno construction worker Tuesday and
planned to charge two Marines in California as well in the slaughter of 34
wild horses shot to death in Nevada with high-powered rifles.

Anthony Jon Merlino, 21 was arrested at his work site in neighboring Sparks on
Tuesday, Washoe County Sheriff Richard Kirkland said.

Merlino was booked into the county jail on charges of grand larceny, grand
theft and maiming, poisoning or killing another person's animal.

Arrest warrants on the same charges -- which carry combined maximum penalties
in excess of 10 years in prison -- have been issued for the two Marines being
held Tuesday night at U.S. Marine Corps bases in California.

Lance Cpl. Scott William Brendle, 22, was being held at Camp Pendleton,
Calif., and Lance Cpl. Darien Thomas Brock, 21, was being held at Twentynine
Palms west of Los Angeles, Storey County District Attorney Janet Hess said.

``It's sad but true,'' said Maj. Lenny Ryan of Camp Pendleton.

Both are members of the 1st Marine Division. Both were residents of the Reno
area and home on holiday leave when the free-roaming mustangs were shot to
death on Dec. 27, Storey County Sheriff Pat Whitten said.

Hess said it was not clear if some form of extradition would be necessary, but
that prosecutors intended to return the soldiers to Nevada for prosecution.

Law officers have been investigating the case since the 34 free-roaming
mustangs were shot to death Dec. 27 about 5 miles east of the Reno-Sparks
area.

The shootings rocked the local community. Animal protection groups helped
raise a $35,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of
those responsible.

Some of the horses were maimed and at least one was blasted with a chemical
fire extinguisher on the rugged hillside about one mile south of Interstate
80.

AP-NY-01-12-99 2220EST

 Copyright 1998 The Associated Press.  The information  contained in the AP
news report may not be published,  broadcast, rewritten or otherwise
distributed without  prior written authority of The Associated Press.