Alabama Man Accused of Sexually Abusing A Horse; Daniel Bennett Says He Just Wanted To Pet The Animal

An Alabama man is in hot water after allegedly being caught by a farmer in the middle of a rather compromising activity with a horse, Fox News is reporting.

Daniel Bennett, 18, faces charges of possession of burglar’s tools, sexual misconduct, and second-degree criminal trespassing for the incident which took place last week.

Homeowner Francine Janes tells WPMI-TV (Mobile) that she was alerted to something amiss possibly going on in her horse’s barn when she heard her dogs barking. She alerted her husband, who grabbed a gun. The two followed the dogs’ barking to the barn, where they found Bennett allegedly hiding in a stall. He was allegedly wearing a trench coat and had allegedly concealed a “burglar’s tool” inside.

Janes’ husband held Bennett at gunpoint until police arrived. Once there, cops asked Bennett what he was up to. He allegedly told police that he loves horses and just wanted to pet the horse, a 20-year-old mare named Polly.

In fact, Janes suspects that Bennett had, and has, more of an interest in Polly besides just petting. She said she’s repeatedly found “evidence” that someone has been horsing around in Polly’s stall before.

“I would say seven maybe 10 times. Toilet paper had been left. The hay stacks had been removed. Items had been turned over. And that’s as far as I want to go.”

In an official arrest warrant quoted by the Mobile Press-Register, authorities declare Bennett’s alleged crimes a misdemeanor.

“[Bennett allegedly] engaged in or submitted to any sexual contact with an animal, to-wit: a horse.”

According to Michigan State University’s Animal Legal & Historical Center, bestiality — that is, sex with an animal — is a Class A misdemeanor in Alabama. That means that Bennett could be jailed for up to a year and face a fine of $6,000 on that charge alone, according to law firm Bradford Ladner.

This is not the first time someone has been caught with sexual intentions towards an equine. As Huffington Post reported in 2014, Donald Waelde allegedly made his intentions known publicly, posting an ad on Craigslist that left little to the imagination.

“I am 22 years old and I want to play with a male Horse. Simple as that. If you have access to a Male horse, and can allow me access to a male horse, then contact me please ? I will do something in return.”

Authorities arranged an undercover sting, during which Waelde allegedly admitted to a desire to perform certain sex acts on a horse. She was busted when police brought in a horse from the Phoenix Police Department’s mounted unit as a prop, and she allegedly tried to buy the animal.

As for Daniel Bennett: court records indicate that he has no prior arrest record. He is scheduled to go to trial on January 18.