Starving Horses Found On Ranch Belonging To Jose Francisco Romo, Winner Of $40 Million Lottery

SANGER, Calif. -- Eight starving horses have been found on the California ranch of a man who won $40 million in a lottery 11 years ago.

Fresno County sheriff's deputies arrested 47-year-old Jose Francisco Romo on Wednesday and he was booked for investigation of felony animal cruelty. Bail is set at $40,000.

The last three horses are being removed from the Sanger ranch on Thursday.

A neighbor called the SPCA about the emaciated horses.

Romo and his wife moved to the ranch shortly after winning the California SuperLotto jackpot in 2001.

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CLICK THROUGH FOR IMAGES OF PROTESTS AGAINST ANIMAL CRUELTY:

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Comments

[karmma72]

03:10 PM on 02/25/2012

What about if a society sues his a&* for 40 million ? that would be poetic justice...........

[mira chancleta]

10:10 AM on 02/22/2012

money does not buy class, humanity or intelligence...

[ckalbern]

03:21 PM on 02/20/2012

Why have horses if you don't give a damn that their starving to death? The owners just won $40 million but can't buy feed and hire a few hispanic people that are in need of work to care for these animals. All it would take would be a few phone calls to find these horses good homes. Shame on them for their greed and callousness!!!

[Jackie Harrod]

06:45 PM on 02/19/2012

Is the picture is this article a picture of the horses that are "supposedly" being starved ?

[Jebbushnot]

07:08 PM on 02/20/2012

KNOWN AS STOCK FOOTAGE...

[Be Kind]

03:23 PM on 02/19/2012

The slideshow on animal protests gives me hope. We humans CAN realize we are better than the confinement, abuse, and harm we inflict upon our great Earth and other beings. We can evolve to a better place, we just have to choose to do so. Each an individual, not a 'thing,' and not trash to be dominated and enslaved. People only view humans as more important because THEY ARE ONE...it is all about perspective and opening our minds. We look down upon those we cannot understand or communicate with. Sad world.

[roundi57]

03:46 PM on 02/19/2012

Well said. Unfortunately mankind as a whole is far too arrogant,self-entitled and greedy to have compassion for anything other than itself...and even then, for but a few.

[Be Kind]

04:03 PM on 02/19/2012

I agree with your comment, totally, reminded me of Einstein (I'm impressed!)
"A human being is a part of a whole, called by us "universe", a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest... a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty." - Albert Einstein

[lilysgirl1]

03:13 PM on 02/19/2012

Can we now starve him?? What punishment will this man get??

[kayyy]

03:12 PM on 02/19/2012

Must be Sunday The Huff is recycling Old stories again.

[tlthe5th]

02:55 PM on 02/19/2012

"A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel." Proverbs 12:10

[srynmichael2]

02:55 PM on 02/19/2012

:(

[kolblh]

02:49 PM on 02/19/2012

Mistreating animals is a serious offense and should be treated with just punishment. That said, can anyone tell me how many starving people are in this world? How many people die every year from malnutrion? Seems the mistreatment of animals is published, and rightly so, whenever it occurs. Maybe there should be more press to bring home the point about starving human beings throughout the world.

[Linda3Dogs]

03:13 PM on 02/19/2012

Bravo! Well said...a standing ovation from this reader! I have several pets, and care for them well. After all, I chose them, they didn't choose me. Their welfare is my responsibility. They can't very well care for themselves. Animal abusers should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law (which should be far stricter).
As for the hungry people in this country, I feel we, as fellow human beings, OWE it to them to also report them to the authorities! There is NO excuse in this country for anyone to be going hungry...none! We need a NEW government altogether since what we have now isn't working. It's time for major change if we are going to save ourselves!

[Be Kind]

03:39 PM on 02/19/2012

The sad fact is almost all people participate in unconsciable animal cruelty every day. Not trying to get righteous on you, I simply state the facts. I think it is ironic people get upset about such a story, but hurt animals terribly every day without a thought! CAFO...meet your food, this story is almost nothing in comparison, sadly.

“[T]hose who claim to care about the well-being of human beings and the preservation of our environment should become vegetarians for that reason alone. They would thereby increase the amount of grain available to feed people everywhere, reduce pollution, save water and energy, and cease contributing to the clearing of forests; moreover, since a vegetarian diet is cheaper than one based on meat dishes, they would have more money available to devote to famine relief, population control, or whatever social or political cause they thought most urgent. [W]hen non-vegetarians say that “human problems come first,” I cannot help wondering what exactly it is that they are doing for human beings that compels them to continue to support the wasteful, ruthless exploitation of farm animals.”
Peter Singer

[lawa]

01:37 PM on 02/19/2012

when a person owns a pet that person becomes responsible. there are penalties for neglecting and maltreatment, and/or cruelity. horses are not goldfish

[Be Kind]

04:07 PM on 02/19/2012

Goldfish are not trash, either.

[berrabbis]

01:24 PM on 02/19/2012

to all peta people what about we let you pay for the cleanup of all of the creatures you want to save or dispose of the ones that starve to death because of overpopulation on your front lawns or in your backyards

[rini1946]

01:21 PM on 02/19/2012

I did not read if he still has any money left. It seems some of the news reports that I have read say that most of the people that have won the lottery are broke. This could be a reason the horses have not food. I am not trying to condon what they did to the horses but just looking for a reason. There also should be a law before anyone can own a animal they are told what the cost are to have a animal. I do not know for sure but horses cost a few buck to own.

[DamnGlam]

02:03 PM on 02/19/2012

If you can't afford to feed your animal, you find it a new home.

[rini1946]

02:51 PM on 02/19/2012

I agree with you I was just wondering is this a case of neglect or a case of stupidty (like you said he could of sold them gave them away what ever). Or heck he could of shot them and ate them which would be more humane that letting them starve to death .

[jeaninedavis]

02:56 PM on 02/19/2012

Yes indeed rini1946, horses are expensive to own or board or feed so the bottom line is that this idiot who won all that money in 2001 must be a failure as a money manager and have no skills at all about how to buy CD's or bonds to ensure that he will have money as long as he lives.Over and above that, you've got people who DO NOT love animals like I and so many others do, so of course their not going to put an animals needs before their own and then you've got the really stupid people who haven't got the brains that God gave a goose!

[rini1946]

03:27 PM on 02/19/2012

but I have not seen anywhere if he was broke or just lazy
I agree with you

[fhmjam]

01:16 PM on 02/19/2012

Are those real or fake in Image #5?

[Rick MacGregor]

01:16 PM on 02/19/2012

Can I have photo person..not the photo..just the person?