Westmoreland man charged with having sex with a cow.

By KEITH EPPS
The Free Lance-Star

Date published: 9/11/2001

An 80-year-old man has been arrested on charges that he was having sex with cows in a Westmoreland County pasture.

Sherwin Balderson of Richmond County is charged with bestiality, Lt. Bill England of the Westmoreland Sheriff's Office said.

The alleged acts occurred Wednesday at a pasture in the Nomini Grove area off State Route 3. Balderson was charged the next day.

England said the cows' owner knows Balderson, but he didn't give him permission to be on the property "and he certainly didn't give him permission to be intimate with his cattle."

England said that Balderson's exploits were captured on film by county detective Merile Jones, who went to the property in response to complaints received by the Sheriff's Office. The alleged activity had been going on for "some time," he said.

The day Balderson was filmed going from cow to cow was the first time the camera had been set up, England said.

He was wearing only a T-shirt, tennis shoes and sunglasses when he entered the pasture, police said.

Balderson was intimate with at least three cows that day, England said.

England said Balderson's choice of pastures was apparently a random one. He said the suspect is well-known in that part of Westmoreland.

Sheriff Buddy Jackson said Balderson was taken for a mental evaluation after his arrest, but said he didn't know his whereabouts as of last night. Jackson said bestiality is a felony.

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Date published: 9/11/2001