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SPANISH FORK — A Salt Lake City man who was charged and convicted of animal cruelty in one case and has another case pending may face a third case in another incident, the Utah County Sheriff's Office said in a press release.
Jex Lamoyne Hiatt, 63, of Salt Lake City, is being investigated in a third case of animal cruelty after several animals allegedly died on his property.
Utah County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a report that 10 to 12 young calves were starving in a pasture in the Lake Shore area. When deputies arrived they saw the young calves were lethargic and unable to get off the ground and that several were in a cement ditch, Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon said. The owner of the property was identified as Hiatt, who said he was aware of the cattle and that someone would take care of them, according to Cannon.
2/2-In these cases several calves and at least one cow have died on Hiatt's property in Lake Shore. @UCSO Deputies have seized cows and calves for treatment by a Veterinarian. One calf died despite that treatment. pic.twitter.com/0ylCjc6GOS
— Spencer Cannon (@SGTCannonPIO) August 19, 2021
Deputies returned to the property on May 6 and discovered one of the calves had died, Cannon said. Hiatt was issued a citation for cruelty to an animal, then convicted of that violation and is scheduled to serve five days in jail.
Deputies returned again to the property on July 30 after receiving another call that more cattle were starving and some were running loose. After arriving at the property they found at least five calves that were dangerously underweight, with about 30 cows and calves in a pasture inadequate to feed that many, Cannon said.
Hiatt was issued a citation for allowing animals at large and faces five counts of cruelty to an animal; the case is still currently pending in court, according to the release.
A third call was placed on August 14 to deputies who found several dead calves, at least one dead cow and several severely underweight young calves. Another calf died shortly after on Tuesday after deputies had seized a cow and several calves the following day to be seen by a veterinarian in Spanish Fork, Cannon said.
Utah County Sheriff's Office said the investigation into the third incident is still active but Cannon anticipates Hiatt will face additional charges related to the condition and death of the cattle on his property.
The sickest of Hiatt's cattle will remain in the sheriff's office custody pending a resolution of this case in court, the release said. Anyone who might be interested in donating hay to help feed these cattle can call the patrol office of the Utah County Sheriff's Office at 801- 851-4050, the release added.
