St. Mary Parish woman arrested on forgery charges
A St. Mary Parish woman was arrested on Thursday on charges of forging medical tests for horses.
BATON ROUGE, La. (KLFY) – A St. Mary Parish woman was arrested on Thursday on charges of forging medical tests for horses.
According to the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry, brand inspectors with the LDAF Livestock Brand Commission conducted an investigation that led to the arrest of a St. Mary Parish woman on Thursday on forgery charge.
Shanna L. Bryan, 41 of Berwick was arrested on a warrant for three counts of forgery. The investigation revealed that Bryan allegedly illegally forged and modified three Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) tests, commonly referred to as “Coggins tests,” in order to board three horses at a St. Mary Parish boarding facility. As a result of the investigation, the horses were tested and found “negative” for Equine Infectious Anemia.
Bryan turned herself in at the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Department and was booked on the warrant. Her bond has been set at $5,000.
“There is a reason that EIA tests are required by law; forging their results is a serious crime,” said LDAF Commissioner Mike Strain, DVM. “Any duplicitous efforts to jeopardize accurate and honest testing could have a detrimental impact on Louisiana’s equine industry, and that’s not a chance we are willing to take.”
The St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Department assisted in the investigation.
The Livestock Brand Commission maintains a 24-hour Crimestoppers hotline at (800) 558-9741 for the public to report thefts or other agriculture-related crimes.