James Allen Darland was arrested on bestiality charges. (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)
A 56-year-old Washington man was arrested by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona after police say he tried to trade sex with his dog for intercourse with several farm animals, including miniature horses, dogs and goats.
James Allen Darland was charged Monday with conspiracy to commit bestiality, the sheriff’s office said in a press release. Darland, a married man from Mount Vernon, told detectives through email and in phone calls that he “has been having sex with his neighbor’s horse, dogs and sheep in the state of Washington for some time.”
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Darland contacted the undercover detectives through a “popular web site” so he could “arrange sexual liaisons with various farm animals in exchange with his own personal dog,” which is named “Playmate.”
Here’s what you need to know:
1. He Wanted to Stay on the Farmer’s Property ‘for the Sole Purpose of Having Sex With the Various Animals’
Darland is being held without bail, the sheriff’s office said. (Screengrab via KPNX-TV)
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said James Darland talked to an undercover detective posing as the owner of a farm in the Wickenburg, Arizona area.
Darland asked to spend several days at the farmer’s property “solely for the purpose of having sex with the various animals provided, including miniature horses, dogs and goats,” the sheriff’s office said.
“We clearly confirmed his intentions to commit this crime by statements, recorded phone calls and videos, emails and actions witnessed by my detective, leaving no doubt in his mind that Darland fully intended to carry out his perversion by committing this crime of bestiality” Sheriff Joe Arpaio said in a statement.
The investigation began in September.
2. Sheriff’s Detectives Arrested Darland After a Videotaped Sting
My Animal Crimes Deputies just arrested a 56YO man in Wickenburg for attempting to have sex with animals.
The sheriff’s office said the meeting at the Wickenburg farm was set for last week, but it was delayed by car trouble and bad weather.
On Monday, Darland met with undercover detectives at the farm, in a recorded sting, the sheriff’s office said.
According to the press release, Darland, “talked in detail about what sex acts he had recently committed with his own dog and what he planned to do with an un-neutered male dog the detectives brought to the scene.”
Darland was then arrested. He is being held without bail, the sheriff’s office says.
His dog was seized and taken by Animal Crimes Detectives to the Arizona Humane Society for evaluation to determine if he has been sexually abused.
3. He Was a Delivery Driver for 23 Years & Police Say He ‘Would Often Have Sex With Customers’ Dogs’
56YO James Allen Darland, retired delivery driver, told my deputies he would often have sex with customers’ dogs while delivering packages.
The sheriff’s office says Darland recently retired from his job working for a national delivery company for 23 years as a driver. He “regaled” the undercover detective about his delivery route days.
“When delivering packages for the company (Darland) would often have sex with customers’ dogs while they were absent from the residence while on his route,” the sheriff’s office said in the press release. “He also spoke of stray dogs that he would find on his route, which he captured to use for sexual gratification.”
4. Bestiality Is a Felony Crime in Arizona
Sheriff Joe Arpaio (Facebook)
Bestiality is a class 6 felony crime in Arizona, and is a law that Sheriff Joe Arpaio personally pushed for. It is one of 36 states that outlaw bestiality.
“Bestiality is nothing to make light of,” Arpaio said in a statement, saying a study shows 96 percent of persons engaged ion bestiality also admitted to sexually abusing humans. Another study found that 72 percent of juvenile sex offenders admitted to an interest in bestiality, Arpaio says. And a third study found that in up to 40 percent of judicially ordered seizures in pedophile cases, both child and animal abuse images were discovered.
5. Darland Is the 9th Person Arrested on Bestiality Charges by the Sheriff’s Animal Crimes Unit
Police say Michael Crawford, 69, flew from Pennsylvania to Arizona to have sex with mini-horses. (Maricopa County Sheriffs Office)
Darland is the ninth person arrested by Arpaio’s animal crimes unit on bestiality charges, according to the press release.
In July, undercover detectives arrested a 69-year-old man, Michael Crawford, who was accused of flying from Pennsylvania to Arizona to “engage in sex acts” with two mini-horses.
Crawford allegedly posted an advertisement soliciting a horse owner who would allow him to commit “perverted” acts with the animals, Sheriff Joe Arpaio said at a press conference.
In one email to the undercover detectives, Crawford said, “If you can really help with what I’m seeking, I am definitely interested in traveling out to see you.” He also asked the detective what kind of horses and ponies he had, how large they were and if they are to be used to human sexual play, the sheriff’s office said in a press release.
He explained in graphic detail what his desires were and what he wanted to do with the horses, the sheriff’s office said.
“I take this crime seriously,” Arpaio told KPHO-TV after Crawford’s arrest “It is part of my office’s fight against animal abuse. These animals are not meant to be sex toys for the perverted. This is animal cruelty; there is not enough teeth in the law for animal cruelty. He would have gotten away with it if he’d picked the wrong county and the wrong sheriff.”
Read more about Crawford at the link below:
