OWNERS ADMIT GUILT IN ESCAPE OF TIGER.Byline: Daily News MOORPARK -- The owners of an escaped tiger that roamed eastern Ventura County for nearly a month until it was shot near an elementary school elementary school: see school. pleaded guilty Monday to obstructing justice under a deal with federal prosecutors. The tiger named Tuffy escaped after the couple moved to the Moorpark area from San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. County in January 2005 with their nonprofit animal sanctuary An animal sanctuary is a facility where animals are brought to live and be protected for the rest of their lives. Unlike animal shelters, sanctuaries do not seek to place animals with individuals or groups, instead maintaining each animal until his or her natural death. . Gert Einar ``Abby'' Hedengran, 58, who now lives with his wife in Pahrump, Nev., pleaded guilty to felony counts of making false statements to agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and obstruction of justice A criminal offense that involves interference, through words or actions, with the proper operations of a court or officers of the court. The integrity of the judicial system depends on the participants' acting honestly and without fear of reprisals. . He also pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of failing to maintain proper records for the exotic felines felines See animals. . Investigators said he told them he was not missing a tiger when, in fact, he knew Tuffy had escaped. His wife, Roena ``Emma'' Hedengran, 54, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of failing to maintain records of exotic felines. Both are scheduled to be sentenced April 9. Under conditions of a plea agreement, Gert Hedengran will be sentenced to 14 months in prison. Federal officials said the parties have agreed that Roena Hedengran should receive a sentence of four months of home detention, three years of probation and a fine of $2,000. Tuffy was fatally shot Feb. 23, 2005, near an elementary school and housing development just west of the Route 23 Freeway in Moorpark. |
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