Tiger Ranch Owner Accused Of Violating Probation

Two months after an Allegheny County judge ordered her to have no contact with animals, the former owner of a defunct Frazer Township cat sanctuary appeared in court Tuesday on allegations that she violated the order.

Linda Bruno, 47, was sentenced to 27 years of probation and ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines and restitution earlier this year.

She originally faced hundreds of charges when authorities raided her 29-acre Tiger Ranch Farm in March 2008 in Tarentum. Many of the cats on the property, about 20 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, were sick, dying or dead.

In January, Bruno was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay $12,000 in fines and $200,000 in restitution. She was also ordered to have no contact with animals.

VIDEO: Owner of Tiger Ranch Accused of Violating Probation VIDEO: Tiger Ranch Owner Gets Probation VIDEO: Judge Scolds Ranch Owner

However, Bruno has since been accused of involvement with a horse-breeding business in Maine, according to court filings by her probation officer.

In court on Tuesday, prosecutors said Bruno has spent thousands of dollars on a new trailer home, but not begun paying restitution. Prosecutors said she has also violated her probation by leaving Allegheny County.

Prosecutors said the Tiger Ranch Web site was still active Tuesday morning and accepting donations and selling merchandise. Bruno had been ordered to dissolve the Web site.

Prosecutors said bank records show Bruno spent money at Macy’s and Victoria’s Secret when she should have been at work or at home under house arrest.

“It proves again she is a very untruthful person,” said undercover officer Deborah Urmann.

"There was obviously some confusion with invoice … but the Commonwealth has cleared it up with (Bruno),” her attorney, Mathew Collins said.

Bruno has to pay $1,200 as her first restitution payment by week’s end.

If a judge determines Bruno did in fact break her probation, she could face jail time.

Bruno is also accused of owning a mare that she sent for breeding five years ago to breeder Ripley Swan, Channel 11's news exchange partners at TribLive reported.

Since then, Bruno's mare produced two colts but she has not sold her interest in the mare, according to court filings.

Bruno was arrested in March 2008 and pleaded guilty in July to 12 animal cruelty charges and two counts of tampering. Prosecutors withdrew more than 500 other charges.

Previous Stories: January 8, 2010: Tiger Ranch Owner Gets 27 Years Probation, No Jail Time October 5, 2009: Judge Scolds Ranch Owner, Sends Cops To Property August 28, 2009: 240 Cats From Tiger Ranch Sanctuary Available To Adopt July 13, 2009: Woman Pleads Guilty To 13 Counts Of Animal Cruelty July 17, 2008: Tiger Ranch Update: Video Shows Seized Cats Four Months Later May 14, 2008: Sick Cats Came To Tiger Ranch From Several States May 6, 2008: Tiger Ranch Owner To Stand Trial April 29, 2008: Preliminary Hearing In Cat Sanctuary Owner Case To Continue In May April 28, 2008: Animal Shelter Owner Returns To Court April 8, 2008: Cruelty Charges Refiled Against Cat Sanctuary Owner April 3, 2008: Cruelty Charges Dismissed Against Tiger Ranch Owner March 19, 2008: Supporters Rally Behind Tiger Ranch Owner March 18, 2008: Attorney Takes Channel 11 Inside Tiger Ranch Cat Shelter March 17, 2008: Donations Needed To Help Cats Rescued From Tiger Ranch Raid March 14, 2008: Local Animal Sanctuary Owner Arrested

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