A man who pleaded no contest to a sodomy charge involving a sheep says he should not be registered as a sex offender.
Jeffrey Haynes, 42, said the state registry is intended to keep track of people who have committed crimes against humans.
"The prosecutor is being real hard on me for what I did," Haynes said.
"But I should not be treated as a child molester."
Police said Haynes had sex with a sheep at a Bedford Township farm on January 26, 2005. The animal's owner caught him on the property and the sheep was found injured.
Calhoun County Circuit Court Judge Conrad Sindt told Haynes at his sentencing hearing on Monday that once he is released from prison, he must register with the Michigan State Police Public Sex Offender Registry.
Haynes was sentenced to two-and-a-half years to 20 years in prison. He entered the no contest plea in January. A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing purposes.
Tamara Towns, an assistant prosecutor for the county, argued Haynes should be ordered to register as a sex offender because once out of prison, he could prey on children or vulnerable adults.
Haynes said he is not a violent person and would not assault children.
A telephone call seeking comment was left on Tuesday at the Marshall office of defence lawyer John Sullivan.
Haynes was arrested in June after a DNA sample taken from the animal matched Haynes' genetic material.
Haynes has prior convictions for burglary, home invasion and uttering and publishing, and was on parole for burglary at the time of the sex crime.
Source:
Sheep worrier 'not a sex offender', Viewed at 16th February 2006
Jeffrey Haynes, 42, said the state registry is intended to keep track of people who have committed crimes against humans.
"The prosecutor is being real hard on me for what I did," Haynes said.
"But I should not be treated as a child molester."
Police said Haynes had sex with a sheep at a Bedford Township farm on January 26, 2005. The animal's owner caught him on the property and the sheep was found injured.
Calhoun County Circuit Court Judge Conrad Sindt told Haynes at his sentencing hearing on Monday that once he is released from prison, he must register with the Michigan State Police Public Sex Offender Registry.
Haynes was sentenced to two-and-a-half years to 20 years in prison. He entered the no contest plea in January. A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing purposes.
Tamara Towns, an assistant prosecutor for the county, argued Haynes should be ordered to register as a sex offender because once out of prison, he could prey on children or vulnerable adults.
Haynes said he is not a violent person and would not assault children.
A telephone call seeking comment was left on Tuesday at the Marshall office of defence lawyer John Sullivan.
Haynes was arrested in June after a DNA sample taken from the animal matched Haynes' genetic material.
Haynes has prior convictions for burglary, home invasion and uttering and publishing, and was on parole for burglary at the time of the sex crime.
Source:
Sheep worrier 'not a sex offender', Viewed at 16th February 2006
