POLICE BUST FARM ANIMAL SEX RING

Authorities have launched an investigation into a farm that allegedly promoted itself as a haven for animal sex.

James Tait, 58, who was convicted in 2005 of trespassing on a neighbor’s ranch to allegedly have sex with horses– was charged with three counts of felony animal cruelty. Kenny Thomason, who lives with Tait in Maury County, TN was also charged with two counts of the same offence.

“They’ve been having sex with full-grown horses,” Maury County Detective Terry Chandler. “(Tait) has been here for four years, and it looks like it has been going on for some time.”

Det. Chandler said the pair lived on the farm owned by Mr. Thomason, which housed 13 horses, Shetland ponies, goats and dogs.

The detective said it was suspected people had been having sex with the ponies and dogs, as well as the larger horses.

Police were tipped off after an anonymous person who had visited the alleged sex farm emailed authorities photos of a man engaged in sex with an animal.

Authorities had also discovered several video tapes explicitly showing men performing the acts on the farm animals leading them to believe it could be a haven for animal sex.

Both Tait and Mr Thomason are each being held on more than $100,000 bail.

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Authorities have made another arrest stemming from revelations that people may have been having sex with animals at a Maury County farm.

Christy Morris, 35, 1857 Ball Hollow Road, Pulaski, was arrested and charged with three counts of animal cruelty.

Maury County Sheriff’s Detective Terry Chandler said Morris allegedly performed sex acts with animals at a farm at 2348 Double Branch Road. She remained jailed Tuesday in lieu of $100,000 bond.

Three people have now been implicated in connection to alleged animal-human sex acts occurring at the Double Branch farm. More arrests may be forthcoming in the case, Chandler said.

James Michael Tait, 58, and Kenny Thomason, 44, were charged earlier with multiple counts of animal cruelty. The two men are both accused of having sex with animals on the farm, according to arrest warrants.

Authorities were alerted to the situation when an e-mail was sent to the sheriff’s department showing Tait appearing to be engaged in sex acts with an animal, Chandler said.

The detective is investigating whether the Maury County farm was promoted as a haven for people to have sex with animals. Also under investigation is whether money was exchanged.

“It’s a possibility,” Chandler said. “We’re still working on that part right now.”

For now, Thomason’s animals remain at the Double Branch farm and have been checked by a veterinarian. Chandler said there are about 40 animals on the property, including horses, goats, donkeys, dogs and a hog. According to warrants, at least two horses and a dog were involved in the sex acts.

In 2005, Tait was thrown into the international spotlight when he admitted to authorities that he and other men snuck onto an Enumclaw, Wash., farm — about 40 miles south of Seattle — and Tait videotaped people engaging in sex acts with a horse. One man, Kenneth Pinyan, later died from internal injuries. The case prompted Washington state lawmakers to ban bestiality, and a documentary was made about Pinyan’s life titled “Zoo.”

Authorities said Tait moved here about four years ago and had been living with Thomason. Morris was apparently helping Thomason with the animals, Chandler said.

As news of the allegations spread across the world  — with accounts even appearing in Australian media — neighbors said they were shocked by the accusations against Thomason, saying he seemed like a nice man.

Richard Stephenson, who lives across the street from Thomason, said he never suspected him of doing anything wrong with animals.

“He seemed like he was on the up-and-up,” Stephenson said.

A woman who lives down the road from Thomason and wished to remain anonymous said the suspect would stop by her house and ask if she needed help.

Though Thomason was friendly, the woman said he was a little eccentric. Both neighbors said they never saw Tait.

“It’s a little unbelieveable,” the woman said of the accusations. “I knew there might have been stuff going on over there, but not to those extremes.”

Both men are scheduled to appear for a hearing in General Sessions court Part II Monday.