Sex with sheep = sex-offender?

2006-02-15 12:56

Battle Creek - A man who pleaded no contest to a sodomy charge involving a sheep says he should not be registered as a sex offender.

Jeffrey S 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," said Haynes. "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.

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 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 that 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.

Haynes was arrested in June after a DNA sample taken from the animal matched his.

Haynes has prior convictions for burglary, home invasion and was on parole for burglary at the time of the sex crime.

- AP