ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Wednesday, July 24, 1996               TAG: 9607240060
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: C-3  EDITION: METRO 
DATELINE: FINCASTLE 
SOURCE: MATT CHITTUM STAFF WRITER 

MAN CHARGED WITH CRUELTY

The operator of a Botetourt County cattle farm has been charged with one count of cruelty to animals in the death by dehydration of 80 head of cattle on a remote part of the 400-acre ranch.

Botetourt sheriff's deputies served Roger Steele, son of developer T.D. Steele, with the summons Monday evening, Sheriff Reed Kelly said. Roger Steele runs Lynn Brae farms, which is owned by his father's Woodhill Corp.

The cattle, which were owned by an Ohio rancher, were to be temporarily pastured on the Steele farm, according to Maj. Ken Smith of the Sheriff's Office.

The cattle were discovered when residents of the nearby Brae Mar subdivision reported an awful stench to the Health Department - nine days after the cattle were dropped off. About 40 were dead at the time. The other 40 never recovered.

Donald Michaels of Mount Solon was assigned to find a place to pasture the cattle on behalf of his employer, Robert Allen, Smith said.

Michaels told investigators he spoke with Roger Steele the night of June8 and told him the cattle would be dropped off the next day, Smith said. Michaels also repeated to investigators directions he was given to back the truck in because the ground in that area of the farm is soft, Smith said.

Roger Steele has said he didn't know the cattle were to be delivered, so they were never fed or watered. However, Smith said, investigators obtained phone records showing someone at Michaels' home had an 11-minute conversation June8 with someone at Steele's home.

Though 80 cattle died, their dehydration is considered one act of cruelty. The misdemeanor charge carries a maximum penalty of a $2,500 fine and a year in jail.

The cattle were valued at more than $15,000, but Allen could not say whether he will pursue legal action to recoup his loss.

"I just don't know what I'm going to do," he said. "I've turned a few cattle out before, but I never had anything like this happen."

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