ROCKBRIDGE CO., Va. – Natural Bridge Zoo owners Sasha “Gretchen” Mogensen and Karl Mogensen were in a Rockbridge County Courtroom Wednesday, where they were both found guilty of contempt of court.
Sasha took over the Zoo from her father Karl, Sasha was accused of violating a court order, which will be moved to a separate trial. The hearing Wednesday also involved Sondra Scott, who works for an organization called “Two By Two For You” and had posted videos denouncing the state’s zoo raids. Scott was found not guilty of contempt of court.
On Wednesday, the state accused Karl Mogensen of threatening to shoot any state vet coming to the zoo with a tranquilizer. His defense claimed he said it was a joke right after making the threat. Prosecutors played several clips from Sasha Mogensen’s live stream of the state taking the giraffes, noting she called out license plate numbers of those taking the giraffes and at one point told those watching to blow up the phone of those taking them. Sasha’s defense said that during the raids, she was cooperative and did not impede.
Karl Mogensen will face a 90 day suspended sentence, and a $2500 fine with 500 suspended. Sasha Mogensen will face a 60 day suspended sentence and $1500 fine with 500 suspended. Conditions of the suspended sentences are 12 months of good behavior and no threats to anyone involved with transporting animals from the zoo.
A trial on the giraffe calves and charges associated with that will be held at a later date.
This is a developing story and 10 News will update with more information as we receive it.