Two of three Chicago carriage horse drivers were convicted on misdemeanor counts of animal neglect on Wednesday, Sept. 23.

Michele Goudie, manager and co-owner of J.C. Cutters Ltd., and carriage driver Melissa Woicek received guilty verdicts on six and one counts respectively; a third defendant, Frances Dupont, was acquitted.

Defense attorney John Robeznieks said, “At the end of the day, although they were convicted, they received the least possible punishment the judge could issue, which was supervision for 12 months, after which the conviction will be expunged from their records.”

A temporary restraining order has kept the seized carriage horses at the Hooved Animal Humane Society (HAHS) in Woodstock, Ill