A Michigan man has pleaded guilty to a barn fire that claimed the lives of 13 therapy horses earlier this year.
In April, the Lowell, Michigan, fire department responded to a call about a fire at The Barn for Equine Learning. All 13 horses in the barn at the time of the fire were killed.
After an investigation by the Kent County Sheriff’s Office and the Michigan State Police Department, Payton Mellema was charged with third-degree arson and animal cruelty, both felony charges.
“The arson charge carries penalties of up to 10 years in jail and the animal cruelty charge carries a penalty of four years (in jail),” said Attorney Kellee Konchi, of the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office. “But we were able to convince the defense to accept a plea agreement and plead guilty to the charges
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