ADRIAN — The largest puppy mill and animal cruelty case in Lenawee County history came to an end Wednesday when a judge sentenced Sharon Evans to six months in jail.
Evans, 54, pleaded no contest on Aug. 7 to felony animal cruelty and was found guilty on the lone charge by Lenawee County Circuit Court Judge Michael Olsaver. She previously entered the plea before the start of the second day of her trial.
The Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office in December, 2017, and January, 2018, seized 213 dogs, 32 horses, five cats, two peacocks, and a donkey from Evans’ Rome Township property in the 8800 block of Shepherd Road south of Onsted, Mich. Many of the female dogs and horses were pregnant when they were seized. Another 14 dogs, multiple cats, a peacock, an African grey parrot, and numerous other fowl were removed in March, 2018.
The jail time received was more than double the recommended sentence outlined in state statute. The judge also ordered the forfeiture of four remaining animals that have been held in foster care at the Lenawee Humane Society. He also imposed five years of probation, during which Evans is not to own or care for animals of any kind.
County Sheriff Troy Bevier previously said Evans’ operation was the “textbook definition” of a puppy mill, “churning them out with no regard to the care of the animals.”
The case was the largest of its kind in county history.
Judge Olsaver noted that under Michigan law, felony animal cruelty is defined as affecting 10 or more animals with no maximum, so Evans could be charged with only a single count despite hundreds of animals affected. The number of animals that suffered was one of the factors he considered in sentencing.
He also noted the impact of the case on the county — taxpayers endured nearly $70,000 in costs related to the animals seized, prosecutors said — and what he called a “lack of acknowledgment of the offense or remorse for the actions.”
“You were placed in a difficult position, but you didn’t do the right things to get yourself out of that position,” Judge Olsaver said. “What you should have done was given up the animals much sooner so that they weren’t forced to live in the conditions that they were forced to live in.”
Among other conditions, she must also complete 300 hours of community service, undergo a psychological evaluation and adhere to all recommendations, participate in a GED program, and maintain employment.
A hearing has yet to be scheduled to determine the amount of restitution Evans will pay.
Angie Borders, chief assistant prosecutor, said after sentencing that she is satisfied with the outcome and is glad the nearly two-year case is finally over.
“He nailed it,” she said of the judge. “He got it right.”
Before sentencing, Judge Olsaver denied Evans’ motion to withdraw her plea in which she claimed mental illness and ineffective counsel from her original public defender prevented her from fully understanding the implications. Her specially appointed public defender, Stanley Sala, said Evans was admitted to a psychiatric facility for a time following her plea.
Evans also claimed innocence, noting that she and her husband are going through a divorce. She said that prior to the animals’ being seized, he left her in the middle of the night and took vehicles and other things she needed to care for the animals. She depended on his help to care for them and was unable to find good help following his departure.
“I tried to do the best possibly that I can because I loved them all,” she said, tearfully. “I had horses that I’d had for 25 years and I planned on keeping them until they died of old age. I would never, ever intentionally abuse an animal.”
Mr. Sala said Evans’ husband has faced no charges.
Evans ran a dog-breeding business called Shalimar Farms and had a 2017 kennel license from the county allowing her to have up to 50 dogs, according to county records. A complaint from someone who bought a dog from Evans prompted the ongoing case, and county records showed a history of complaints against her dating back to 2002.
The animals seized in 2017 and 2018 were found living in filth and without access to food or water, many exposed to frigid temperatures. Many of the animals were severely matted, underweight, riddled with parasites, and suffering from a variety of medical issues like dental disease. One dog had twine embedded deep into a leg.
Evans could still face up to four years in prison if she violates any conditions of her probation. Aside from the few just ordered forfeit, all the animals have been adopted to new homes through area rescues.
First Published November 13, 2019, 9:23 p.m.
