Oregon Zoo Owner Arrested After Raid Uncovers Meth, Cocaine, 44 Firearms, & $1.6 Million

Oregon Zoo Owner Arrested After Raid Uncovers Meth, Cocaine, 44 Firearms, & $1.6 Million

It started with a welfare check on animals and ended with a full-blown criminal case.

Brian Tenney, the owner of the West Coast Game Park Safari near Bandon, Oregon, was arrested on Tuesday (May 27) after investigators uncovered drugs, firearms, and $1.6 million in cash.

According to the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, the initial raid on May 15 was intended to investigate the park’s animal welfare and business practices. During that search, detectives found about 80 grams of meth. After securing additional warrants, they discovered 44 firearms (including a modified machine gun), eight grams of cocaine, and $1.6 million in cash, bonds, and cashier’s checks.

 

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Tenney is now facing charges for meth possession, manufacturing, and attempted distribution.

The park, which housed more than 300 animals, had been under scrutiny for months, with the #USDA citing it 78 times in just one year. Authorities euthanized a camel and a kinkajou due to poor health. All remaining animals have since been rehomed at accredited sanctuaries across the country.

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