Horse abuse case | More serious charges filed

Grand jury indicts Trexler brothers and their mother on felony ill treatment counts

By ISHMAEL TATE and RICK BRUNDRETT - itate@thestate.com rbrundrett@thestate.com

A family at the center of a two-state investigation into horse neglect — including a former state agriculture official — now face 14 felony charges of animal abuse.

A Richland County grand jury has indicted former assistant state agriculture commissioner James W. Trexler, his brother, Terry Trexler, and their mother, Hazelene Trexler, on the upgraded charges of ill treatment of animals.

The three already faced misdemeanor ill treatment of animals charges in connection with the seizure of a total of 45 horses they owned from three farms in Richland County.

The four Arabian horses tied to the felony charges were found knee-deep in their own feces with no access to water or food, investigators said. There was evidence the horses had attempted to eat the stalls they were kept in.

If convicted on all four felony charges he now faces, James Trexler, 48, could face up to 20 years in prison — as opposed to less than a year in jail on the misdemeanor charges.

Felony animal abuse charges usually are reserved for people suspected of dog fighting, Humane Society spokeswoman Kelly Graham said. She hopes the case against the Trexlers will send a message to people about the level of care authorities expect from pet and livestock owners.

“They are animals and they are under people’s protection,” Graham said. “We’re not going to take these cases more lightly because they’re not pets.”

Efforts to reach the Trexlers for comment Thursday were unsuccessful.

According to court documents:

• James Trexler, who resigned his state post earlier this month, was indicted on four felony counts of ill treatment of animals stemming from the seizure of neglected horses from a Hopkins farm where he lived.

• Hazelene Trexler, 70, was indicted on seven felony counts of ill treatment of animals stemming from the seizure of those same horses and three others from another property operated by the Trexlers near Eastover.

• Terry A. Trexler, 44, was indicted on three felony counts of ill treatment of animals stemming from the seizure of three horses from the Eastover property.

Each felony count carries a penalty of 180 days to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

No court date has been set on the upgraded felony charges, assistant 5th Circuit Solicitor Jill Andrews said. She declined to comment on specifics of the case.

In Richland County, James Trexler also is charged with one misdemeanor count of ill treatment of animals, and Hazelene and Terry Trexler still face multiple misdemeanor charges of ill treatment of animals.

Terry Trexler also faces a kidnapping charge stemming from a confrontation with a Humane Society investigator.

Convictions on the misdemeanor charges would carry up to 60 days in jail and a fine of $100 to $500 for each charge.

The Trexlers were arrested Feb. 27 after the Humane Society seized 28 horses belonging to them on Feb. 25 and Feb. 26. In all, S.C. authorities have seized 45 horses the Trexler family owned.

Terry Trexler and Hazelene Trexler were extradited to Georgia, where each faces 29 misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals, 25 misdemeanor counts of moving animals under quarantine and one count each of letting livestock roam at large.

More charges are pending against the mother and son for allegedly moving horses across state lines without proper paperwork, said Jefferson County, Ga., Sheriff’s Code Enforcement Officer Jimmy Kitchens.

Richland County authorities also are pursuing further misdemeanor ill treatment of animal charges in connection with the March 3 seizure of 17 horses owned by the Trexler family, Andrews said, though she declined further comment.

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott earlier said those 17 horses, which were seized from a pasture on Misty Meadows Road near Hopkins, had been neglected, though Graham said then they appeared to be in better condition than the 28 horses seized earlier.

In Sumter County, Graham said, preliminary forensic results have come back on horse remains found on property recently owned by James Trexler, but authorities are awaiting more information on insects and plant material sent to a lab in Florida.

Reach Tate at (803) 771-8549 or Brundrett at (803) 771-8484.