A 19-year-old Boston man who’s suspected of breaking into a Norfolk, Massachusetts farm and sexually assaulting a horse has turned himself into authorities, the Boston Herald reports.
The act, which was reportedly captured by a security camera, has led to subsequent charges against Jackson Z. Kelley for sexual contact with an animal, cruelty to animals, and nighttime breaking and entering with intent to commit a felony.
Alongside his lawyer, Kelley turned himself in late Tuesday morning.
A police statement says that authorities got “many calls providing information which eventually led to the identification of Kelley as the suspect.”
It’s alleged that Kelley illegally entered Turner Hill Equestrian Center around 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 15, and used grain to lure horses from their stalls. The Boston Herald writes that he displayed a familiarity with horses by putting a halter on and cross-tying the animal that he assaulted. MetroWest Daily News writes that he stood on a stool and had sex with a mare as it ate.
Hillary Swarr, the owner of the stables, told the Herald that she was alerted to the crime by a surveillance system, even though the suspect attempted to unplug all cameras. An alarm was triggered when he opened the stall, but he was able to flee before an employee could get there.
Police say they conducted their investigation in the same manner that they would if it was an assault against a human.
A rape kit determined that the horse wasn’t injured.
Swarr remains understandably distressed.
“I look at this person as a sexual predator. It’s a threat to a very small community where a lot of people feel extremely violated and rightfully so,” she said.
A hearing to determine if Kelley’s a danger to the public is scheduled for Friday (July 23). In the meantime he’s being held without bail.
