CUMBY, Texas - A North Texas woman is facing charges for allegedly running an unlicensed breeding facility.
Law enforcement officials said she was selling German Shepherds for thousands of dollars and fraudulently claiming they were healthy, purebred, American Kennel Club-registered dogs.
In reality, most had questionable parentage, false papers, and health issues.
Hopkins County Unlicensed Breeder
What we know:
Kristine Michelle Hicks was indicted Monday by a federal grand jury on charges of wire fraud and acting as an animal dealer without a license, according to U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs for the Eastern District of Texas.
Hicks is a 51-year-old resident of Cumby, which is located about an hour and a half northeast of Dallas in Hopkins County.
Federal prosecutors said she was operating an unlicensed breeding facility named Giant German Shepherds, selling dogs for thousands of dollars after telling buyers they were healthy, purebred, AKC-registered animals with the perfect temperament for life as a family pet or service animal.
In reality, prosecutors said many of the dogs had questionable parentage and false paperwork. Some were of mixed breeds or randomly sourced litters. Others had diseases or were unhealthy.
One dog that was sold to a paralyzed, bedridden, disabled veteran ended up being so aggressive that he drew blood several times, according to the indictment.
Dig deeper:
The investigation into Hicks’ breeding facility began in December after authorities got a tip about a video posted on social media. In the video, Hicks allegedly shoots and kills a dog that was tied to a tree.
The indictment also states the animals at her facility were being kept in "deplorable conditions." They received emergency care for "starvation, parasite-related illnesses, lack of veterinary care and immunizations, and inadequate shelter from environmental exposure."
Nearly 90 dogs were surrendered to animal care agencies during the course of the investigation.
What we don't know:
The indictment doesn’t provide an update on the status of the dogs that were surrendered.
No mugshot for Hicks was released because it is a federal case.
What's next:
Hicks faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
The Source: The information in this story comes from a news release from U.S. Attorney Jay Combs and a federal indictment.