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February 23, 2008

Bell takes plea in animal abuse case

VINITA - A former Craig County man pleaded no contest Wednesday to one count of felony animal

cruelty.

David Bradley Bell, 47, formerly of Bluejacket, received a two-year deferred sentence. He was also ordered to perform 240 hours of community service in lieu of serving 30 days in the Craig County jail. The community service must be completed within 18 months. Judge Gary Maxey also ordered Bell to pay restitution to the Craig County Sheriff’s Office and withdraw from two civil cases he filed. One civil case claimed Bell’s livestock were seized illegally and the other sought to have restitution withdrawn in the plea agreement.

Bell, who now lives in Comanche, Texas, is on unsupervised probation, but that will change should he move back to Oklahoma, court records show. In Oklahoma he would be required to report to a

probation officer. Conditions of his probation say Bell cannot own sheep or cattle during that two years. If Bell violates his probation, he could be sentenced to the maximum for this charge, which is five years.

In January 2007, authorities found hundreds of sheep and cattle starving to death or already dead on Bell’s ranch. The livestock were removed and cared for on other ranches, racking up a sizeable feed bill to both the county and ranchers Johnna and Lonnie Kelley.

The plea agreement was arranged between Bell’s lawyer Jot Hartley and Assistant District Attorney Barry Farbro.

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