A man already facing animal abuse charges involving alleged sexual misconduct with a miniature horse was arrested Monday for 18 felonies and nine misdemeanors involving horses and dogs.
Ryan Danyl McDonald, 38, was arrested in July 2015 on a miniature horse farm in Genoa, Ark., and charged with misdemeanor bestiality and criminal trespassing. McDonald allegedly confessed to “fornicating,” with a miniature mare. At the time of that arrest, McDonald allegedly admitted he had videos of himself on his cell phone engaging in sex with animals, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Investigators confiscated the phone and sent it for forensic analysis. McDonald was arrested Monday on 18 counts of obscene films, a Class D felony, and nine counts of misdemeanor bestiality, when he appeared for a hearing in district court for the 2015 misdemeanor charge.
According to officials in Miller County, the 18 felonies involve the distribution of obscene video depicting sex with dogs and horses. The nine misdemeanors involve alleged conduct in videos officials do not believe were shared or uploaded via the internet.
The videos involving horses were allegedly filmed outdoors while those involving canines were allegedly filmed in a hotel room, an official said.
At a first appearance Tuesday, McDonald’s bail was set at $35,000. He was released after posting bond the same day. As a condition of his bond, McDonald must wear a leg monitor with GPS capabilities, is confined to his home, and is not allowed to have any animals on the property where he lives in Fouke, Ark.
Each of the 18 felonies McDonald is charged with is punishable by up to six years in prison. The nine new bestiality charges and the prior existing one are punishable by up to a year in the county jail.
