El Dorado County Man Charged With Stealing Horse, Sexually Assaulting Another

RESCUE, Calif. (AP) — A Northern California man is under arrest after police say he stole a horse and left it to die and later sexually assaulted another horse that he tried to steal.

Fifty-six-year-old Bryon Baker, a transient living in a rural area 40 miles east of Sacramento, was being held Friday on suspicion of grand theft of a horse, animal cruelty, attempted grand theft of a horse and sexual assault on an animal.

The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office said a horse was stolen from a ranch in January. The horse later died while in Baker's control, prompting community outcry.

In May, the sheriff's office linked Baker to the horse theft while investigating the theft and sexual assault of second horse.

Baker was arrested Wednesday after a search of his motor home.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.