Friday October 27 04:31 PM EDT

Man Accused of Having Sex With Sheep

WATERLOO, Iowa ( APBnews.com) -- A 46-year-old man is in jail today after he apparently was surprised in the act of having sex with a sheep, police said.

Students at Hawkeye Community College found Robert A. Broderson naked and hiding in a hayloft at the college farm with a ewe tied up in the corner, police said.

The farm manager examined the ewe and determined it had been sexually assaulted, police said.

Blue nightie found

A blue nightgown was found next to the sheep, although police are not saying if it was for the ewe or Broderson.

A halter rope was tied around the ewe's neck and its legs were positioned in such a way that its hindquarters were raised, police said.

Broderson tried to escape after he was found hiding in the hayloft Wednesday morning, but several students caught and held him until police arrived, authorities said.

Misdemeanor charges

Police Sgt. Ann Meyer this is the first such incident she can remember in her 23 years on the force.

"We've seized photos in search warrants of people with dogs," she said, "but, I guess, we've never actually caught somebody so close to being in the act as this."

Broderson is being held on $75,000 bond on charges of animal abuse, a misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison, and criminal trespass, a misdemeanor carrying a maximum 30-day jail sentence, authorities said.

His bond was set so high because he also is on probation for burglary, Meyer said.

State lacks law

Broderson is charged with animal abuse because Iowa does not have a law prohibiting sex with animals.

As of last year, 24 states had laws banning bestiality, according to the Humane Society of the United States. Having sex with animals is a felony in five states and a misdemeanor in 19.

Massachusetts and Rhode Island have the stiffest penalties for such crimes with prison sentences of up to 20 years.

Sexual abuse of animals is believed to be a problem in the United States today, although the extent of the abuse is difficult to determine because animals are not capable of reporting attacks, the Humane Society said.

Dogs and horses are the most common victims, the Humane Society said.

-- jethro bodine (yipeee@heeee.haaaaw!), October 28, 2000

Answers

He tried a goat first, but it said "naaa-aaa"; the pig next door heard about it, and squealed on him.

-- KoFE (your@town.USA), October 28, 2000.

and the Duck just quacked up.

-- Peg (em@i.l), October 28, 2000.

This is not abuse. It is well known among the shepherd community that the sheep love it.

-- (nemesis@awol.com), October 28, 2000.

Maybe he heard about the sheep that was cloned and thought he could clone himself if he got a sheep pregnant?

-- good excuse (that is what i @ would. tell them), October 28, 2000.

Mary had a little ram

whose fleece was white as snow

When they lay to get some sleep

Mary had a little sheep

-- (The_good_for_nought_shepherd@sheep.dip), October 28, 2000.

Blue nightgown?

I always prefer my sheep in pink.

-- redneck (hillbilly@bum.fucker), October 28, 2000.

I recall a supposedly true story involving a chicken told to me by a retired local policeman. Apparently a lesbian officer investigated a parked car at night in a remote area of a local park. Needless to say she was shocked, and her radio call caused considerable excitement, as did her written report. Apparently when they brought the guy in, the entire staff on duty (including upper floor personnel) showed up to welcome the suspect.

-- Newsman (any@truth.in.the.news?), October 28, 2000.

A chicken? No way!

I've tried it, they scratch your balls to shreds.

-- redneck (hillbilly@bum.fucker), October 28, 2000.

Mary had a little sheep

And with that sheep she went to sleep

The sheep turned out to be a ram

Mary had a little lamb.

-- Malcolm Taylor (taylorm@es.co.nz), October 28, 2000.

Waterloo, Iowa, could probably raise a few bucks for the city by selling tickets to the trial instead of letting people in for free.

-- I'm Here, I'm There (I'm Everywhere@so.beware), October 29, 2000.

Have you ever looked into those big brown eyes of a bovine? Ohhhh Babbbbyyyy....

-- Ima (just@funnin.ya), October 29, 2000.

I can say for sure that it wasn't this Sheeple that was mentioned in the story. :)

-- (Sheeple@Greener.Pastures), October 29, 2000.