A La Plata County woman charged with 114 counts of animal cruelty was hit with two additional charges after investigators allegedly found a poached elk on her property near County Road 122 during a massive seizure late last year.
Elizabeth Miera, 47, who also goes by the last name Jackson, was charged Dec. 27 with unlawful possession of wildlife, as well as unlawfully transporting portions of wildlife.
She faces up to a $1,440 fine, according to court documents.
On Nov. 15, La Plata Animal Protection, in cooperation with several other agencies, seized more than 110 animals from the property, which included 13 dogs, a cat, 17 pigs, 61 goats, seven sheep, horses, a burro, a duck, two chickens and three cattle.
The list obtained by The Durango Herald excluded 10 other animals, including a horse that was euthanized.
Miera was originally charged with 105 counts of animal cruelty. Sixth Judicial District Attorney Christian Champagne said Tuesday prosecutors updated that to 114 counts.
Champagne declined to comment further on the open case.
Miera lived on the property with her partner, Jeffrey Jackson, who faces 115 counts of animal cruelty. It appears Jackson owns the land, according to county documents.
Joe Lewandowski, spokesman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said when authorities were at the property conducting the seizure, they found the poached cow elk and alerted CPW.
CPW then found neither Jackson nor Miera had a license to hunt the elk legally, and issued the ticket. Only Miera is cited.
The unlawful transport charge may refer to the couple moving the elk from where it was shot to their property, Lewandowski said. On top of the potential fine, Miera may lose her hunting and fishing privileges in the state, he said.
“Anytime we write a ticket like that, it goes to the DA,” Lewandowski said.
“Then they decide how to file charges.”
Miera has a Jan. 31 court date regarding the poached elk. She has a Feb. 6 court date for the animal cruelty charges.
Jackson has a pre-trial conference scheduled for Feb. 20 for the animal cruelty charges.
Neither Jackson nor Miera returned phone calls seeking comment Tuesday afternoon.
The status of the animals seized was unclear Tuesday; La Plata Animal Protection Director Travis Woehrel did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
