JEFFERSON, Ohio – Harlan Baldwin, 58, of rural Ashtabula, was arraigned on 49 counts of cruelty to animals April 5 in Ashtabula County’s Eastern County Court.
He pled not guilty to all charges, and was released on $30,000 bond.
Charges were based on the March 23 raid by the Ashtabula County Humane Society on a barn rented by Baldwin where at least 38 cattle corpses in various stages of decomposition and another 42 head of Holstein dairy cattle were discovered in a pack of manure.
Assistant County prosecutor Sue Thomas said the county is looking for jail time for Baldwin, although the fact that he has no prior criminal record makes it unlikely he will be sentenced to the maximum 180 days.
“We are also hoping that as a condition for any future probation we can incorporate a recommendation he will never again be able to own any animals.” Thomas said.
A pretrial hearing in the case has been set for June 5.
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